Someone didn’t get a nap yesterday. Not me. Okay, yes me, but that’s not who I am talking about. I’m talking about The Kidling. Girlie needs sleep, and melts down like a damn nuclear reactor if she doesn’t get two hours mid-day.
When The Dada and I picked her up from daycare (a certified nap-free zone), she was talking to a teacher about the rocks she had loaded up in the pocket of her little green dress. Alice told Cindy she wanted to take them home for her collection. Cindy noticed that one was actually a smooth piece of wood, not a rock. She asked whether she could go ahead and throw it away.
Alice agreed.
We said our goodbyes and headed to the car. That’s when Alice began to cry:
“I didn’t mean to say yes. I meant to say no. (sobs) If I hadn’t said ‘yes’ then I would still have it. I want that wood. (tears stream down her Kidling face) I’ve never seen a smooth round wood piece before, and I meant to say ‘no.’ I wish I hadn’t said ‘yes.’ I didn’t mean to say ‘yes.’
“And my smooth pebble! (gasps in despair) I dropped my smooth pebble in the yard. Not the sandy part, the rocky part, and now it is buried. My smooth pebble is buried and I can’t find it again.
“(mournful and resigned) I will never forget about it.”
Yep. That last bit broke my heart. And, in case you were wondering, the evening only got worse. And she didn’t even say anything funny.
The Mama,
I’m sorry. There are days like these, and things that kids say which will just make you feel like the worst parent out there… Which isn’t you, trust me. Hope The Kidling gets back to her happier side today.
Le Clown
Thanks, LC. She will. She is just a bear without rest. It was so darned sad to watch, though. The “I’ll never forget about it,” bit was just killer…
Christine,
I totally get it. TWP will have a few reactions occasionally which will make me feel worse than an episode of American Idol. Hugs, friend.
Le Clown
Okay, that’s bad. Thanks for the empathy…
Bless her heart! It’s tough enough to have days like those when we are grown, but to have them at 4 is even more rough. Hoping for a great day and an even smoother rock and cooler wood discovery today.
She has been an absolute delight all morning. Apparently she did, in fact, forget about that glorious lost rock. Life goes on…
What a yucky night for Alice – and her parents..Things just hurt so deep sometimes – and the reality is that with a goo night’s sleep, the Kidling will feel much better, but Mama will still be aching. That phrase “some days are diamonds and some days are stones”, needs to be amended with the the inclusion ‘and both will pass”…
She did. She was an absolute angel today. And The Dada took a vacation day, so we had the loveliest family day together. I’m one happy lady.
Sounds like a rough evening for all, but hopefully things are brighter today. Everything looks more dire when you’re sleep-deprived, whether you’re 4 or 40. :-/ Fingers crossed that Alice discovers a gemstone (like object
) today!!
So much brighter, Lori. So much brighter. She’s my happy little booger again.
Cheers!
Oh no…even I have a sad face. Bet she’s all better now
She is.
Thank goodness.
So sad. Conor is that passionate about sticks so I completely get it.
I know. It was just awful, because she was truly distraught and blaming herself for it. So, so sad…
And then you imagine a time when it won’t be a rock that breaks her heart…or am I the only mom who suffers for things that have yet to happen?
Dear god, no. I do it all of the time. Always. It is torturous and unnecessary, but kids can be so damn mean. It is hard not to imagine future woes…