I should have anticipated it.
All the squeals of delight and jumping up and down about bunk beds somehow distracted me. It didn’t even dawn on me that maybe taking down the crib and putting up bunk beds, one of which would be assigned to this 3 1/2 year old to actually sleep in, would be really really hard on said 3 1/2 year old.
The last 2 days have been a challenge. Nearly every word out of her mouth has been a loud pitched scream. And most of those loud pitched screams have included the words, “No!” and “WHY!!!” (the latter of which is more of an exclamation than a question). When she’s not screaming, she’s hitting. I tell her to finish her dinner; she hits me. I tell her it’s time to go; she hits me. She walks into a room; she hits her brother who is sitting and playing wii before he even sees her coming. Her sister tries to give her a hug; she hits her.
You get the idea.
The behavior issues we have had over the last couple months have just become magnified about 10x in the last 2 days.
Just when I was throwing my hands up wondering why in the world this girl is freaking out and making me freak out at the same time, she it hit me.
Her room is totally different. Her crib, the only bed she’s known with us, the one she slept in from Day 1 in our family is gone. Some furniture is different as beds and nightstands all got shuffled around in the kids’ rooms. And, what is there is all in different places. She says she loves the bunk beds; and everyone has reinforced that kind of talk. But, the change, I think, has overwhelmed her even if she can’t put words to it.
I’ve got lots of opportunities to practice all we’re learning in our Empowered to Connect training.
I’ve given her words to use. I’ve given her “redos” so she can get another chance to make the right choice. And, I’ve given her consequences.
Don’t let these pictures fool you. Taking them here today was an act of obedience on my part.
