Wednesday, March 9, 2011

i am struggling to balance

One wants to build. One wants to read.

One wants to sit on my lap. One wants to be picked up and danced.

One needs a diaper change. One needs a snack.

One wants to practice writing letters. One wants to throw a ball.

One wants to read Maisy. One wants to read Fancy Nancy.

I am struggling to figure out how to keep two very different little girls happy at the same time. I feel torn, needing two of me, more times in one day than I ever have before.

And I get frustrated. SO frustrated. I want to do for both of them, play with both of them, be there for both of them. But I can't. Not all the time, at every moment. And they don't understand.

How do I do this? How do I keep them both happy, entertained, learning and growing? How do I do all of that for both of them without one feeling slighted, without one getting less of my time or feeling resentful of the other one? How do I convince them (either one of them!) that for just a little bit it would be okay for all three of us to do something together?!
Has anyone else ever had children that really don't want to sit and do an activity together? I know they are in very different places right now but come on, why when Avery wants to build does Sam suddenly hate her blocks? And when Sam wants to read suddenly Avery thinks throwing books is a good idea.
AHHH!

Wasn't I just saying how things were getting easier. Crap; I spoke too soon.

1 comment:

elizabeth said...

Ugh, that sounds so frustrating!

We went through a stage where Edden's favorite activity was setting up elaborate arrangements of things. Then Talya would want to play too (i.e. re-arrange those things clumsily) and both kids would end up melting down. We're in a better place now, where both are getting into dress-up, and are happy to do it together. Things will change, right? Sometimes that feels like the only constant in this parenting gig.