Pecked by Ducks

I was hoping that the aforementioned sugar and fatigue precipitated disaster was an isolated incident, but Max had also developed (in my estimation) an extreme case of separation anxiety. And having already “gone there” (that really out of control screaming place) he seemed to be able to slip back there rather easily. Over, for instance, not wanting to put on his socks or hang up his coat or eat food other than snacks. Snacks being for example; fruit leather, multigrain crackers, goldfish, nectar bars, fruit (apples, bananas, pears, grapes) cheese sticks etc. And while these are by no means junky snacks, he was not wanting to eat anything but snacks.

He also didn’t want to leave the house if I was in it. He began refusing to get dressed in the morning, I think because he knew it meant he would be leaving soon. If I was home he would “check in” with me wherever I was. Usually every 20 minutes or so, and he needed to be in my lap or touching me. At first I tried telling him after a snuggle, “Okay it’s time for you to go play downstairs or with Rocio now”, but that just got him upset and ended in a will battle. So I started sort of ignoring him. I would acknowledge him when he came in and let him on my lap if that was what we wanted, but then I would go back to work and basically work around him. That worked better. He would move to the floor, playing cars there and then eventually wander off. But the whole process would start over again about every half hour.

He also has been saying that he doesn’t want to go to school in the morning. Again, I think, because he doesn’t want to leave me. But he also seems tired and broken by 4:00pm. Judd and I started considering taking him out of school and having him take a nap at 11:30 like he used to. I kept him home on a Friday before a Monday teacher’s work day so we pretended he was staying home from school for 4 days and had him do a nap at 11:30, but he is still vehemently protesting naps, even though once I calm him down, he’s asleep 4 minutes later.

Rocio is doing a wonderful job, but this transition has apparently been much harder on him than I thought. And now instead of looking forward to my new job I am beginning to dread how it will affect him.

Judd, Rocio and I are also trying to say yes to him as much as possible. I want to sleep in my clothes? Ok. I want to go with you to get the oil changed? Ok. I want to go to the dentist with you and sit in the waiting room with Rocio instead of going to the playground? Ok. I don’t want to wear a coat out in the cold? Ok, but I’m going to bring it with us just in case (5 minutes later, “Mommy I’m cold”).

You want to go in the street without a grown up? No. You want to eat snacks all day instead of any meals. No. You can eat some good food or you can have nothing. I’m sure you’ll get hungry eventually. My pediatrician says as long as he is drinking water and urinating it’s okay to let a hunger strike last up to three days. (Of course he’s never lasted more than an hour.)

So what to do? I hold him as much as I am able, I say yes as much as is safely possible, however I now view the impending hiring of me with dread and anxiety instead of excitement and promise.