on two year olds and tantrums

Elliot has sort of been a mess lately. He is quick to melt into a puddle of distress. Sometimes it is because he is hungry, or tired, or because I am putting jeans on him and he wants shorts instead. Lots of times it is because I am asking him to get his shoes on so we can go somewhere and he'd rather stay home. Sometimes it's for no reason at all. It is easy to get frustrated and snap, but I know that won't fix it. Regardless of the reason for his tears, what he needs is for me to stop what I am doing, scoop him up, and hug him tight. Maybe to slip into the guest room and rock in his old glider for a minute. Or to hug him on the couch and doze the afternoon away. Sometimes we need to read a few books together, or just go outside.

It seems like this is a lesson that I have to learn over and over again (almost 11 years of motherhood under my belt, and I am still learning it). When my kids are having a hard time, it is almost always because I have not been giving them my best self. When I am too busy for them, then they'll get my attention however they can. And that's not always a pretty sight.

And so tomorrow, I will try again. I will show Elliot that he is more important than the dress I am sewing or social media I am checking or the floor I am vacuuming. And hopefully the silly smiley Elliot who makes himself snort on purpose when he laughs will stick around all day.