Thursday, August 30, 2007

Oh, the Joys of Motherhood!

I had a decent day at work today and went to pick Jonathan up at school just like always. And just like always, he ran across the room, arms flailing, as soon as he saw me through the glass window I pass just before I get to the door. I picked him up as usual and asked him if he had a good day. He answered yes, sort of hesitantly, and looked at Ms. Darla, the lead teacher in his section of the Twos.

So I, too, look at Ms. Darla and she proceeds to tell me that at lunchtime today, as she was passing out their meal, Jonathan leaned across the table and pinched not one but two little girls. When Ms. Darla asked him if he was supposed to pinch, he apparently answered "No, but I bite!!" Luckily, Ms. Darla nipped the biting in the bud before it could come to fruition.

While we were speaking about this, Jonathan had a look of what I took to be two-year-old remorse on his face. I learned I was obviously mistaken when Jonathan reared his fist back and punched me directly on my right cheek bone. As my eyes welled with tears, I sat him down on the ground where he immediately started crying for me to pick him back up. I was pretty much in shock and must have looked at Ms. Darla with a somewhat helpless look as she tried to reassure me that it's completely normal, that all children Jonathan's age go though a stage where they exhibit this type of behavior.

The crazy thing is, even though I totally know that is true, days like this cause Mommy Guilt to rear its ugly head. I've tried to rationalize around it because I know stay at home mothers who have the same problem, but it's still really frustrating to be greeted in such a manner at the end of the day.

Luckily, his disposition improved greatly when we got home and I, of course, could not feel bad too long when presented with this precious face:

8 comments:

supermommysquared said...

I have no idea what you are talking about. My chidren are angels. Sucks to be you :) Love you!

Shana-Lynn said...

Oh, those "terrible twos" have started. I think I would have been in total shock too. Aubree hasn't tried to punch me yet, and hopefully she won't, she has however been pulling my hair and it hurts. I do think it is all normal stuff, but it sucks.

Janice said...

No punching yet - but I am bracing myself for it someday. The fits and tantrums have begun since April, though, and I can totally relate. Whether we're stay-at-home or working moms, those days, we all get those days when we just can't believe our kids act like this. But then again, how can you stay mad at that precious face! He's just too too tooooooo darn cute!!!!!

Susie PSU said...

A kid in my class last year hit his mom when she came to pick him up, too, and he was already in the office...so, you AREN'T the only one in that position, and it even happens to stay at home moms! :-)
He'll grow out of it, don't worry. It's just a phase, and it's only temporary - he won't be a wife beater!!! hee hee

Alicia said...

As the mother of two boys, I can say that I've definitely been punched in the face on more than one occasion. Not sure why they do it (and it really hurts!) but it is truly a phase they all pass through. No worries. Cute pic!

supermommysquared said...

In all sarcasm, I am totally looking forward to the punching phase. Hailey bites (because she is pretending to be a puppy) and that drives me crazy enough.

Kimberly said...

Yep...Sophie has knocked my lights out a few times....here's hoping phases come and go!

TwinMommyLawchick said...

I hope the phase passes too. No punching yet but Ethan went through a biting phase that thankfully for Emma only lasted a week, and Emma is in a pinching phase that is waning but still there. She even put Dora in time out for pinching, so she KNOWS it's bad. That's the most frustrating when you know they get it yet still misbehave.