Thursday, May 10, 2012

¿Malcriado?

I know that in some ways it's my own fault that the child I'm raising is high-maintenance. More specifically, I'm reaping what I failed to sow in not having sleep-trained him before now. It makes for some difficult days. In my defense, he's never been much of a napper, and he almost always fights sleep. Letting him cry it ouw wasn't really an option in a one-bedroom condo, nor is it in a hotel room. Anyway, last night/early this morning he woke up crying-- we think with growing pains-- and it took him a bit to get back to sleep. Both Esquire and I were up with him (unavoidable with the three of us in a tiny hotel room). So, he slept late today and his nap schedule has been off all day. I think he'll go to bed on time tonight, though.

Right now I am definitely a stay-at-home mom, in the most basic sense that it denotes. I stay at "home" with my LittleBit because everything else takes a backseat to making sure he's well-fed and well-rested. I have him more or less on a schedule, but subject to variation according to daily changes in his needs. Am I spoiling him? Perhaps. A friend from church asked if I could watch her girls (ages two and three) next week, and I told her I'd consider it. Sincerely. Well, I've considered it, and I just don't see how I'll attend to my own child's needs and hers. This realization prompts me to consider (for the first time, really) if my child is spoiled. Maybe he is. Probably, in fact. But he behaves well for other people and only cries hard for me, Esquire, and occasionally my mother. Which he is doing now. I should go.

1 comment:

Borland family said...

When I only had Andrew, I really struggled with watching oter people's kids. I didn't really do it until I had Ben and even then and now, their kids are about the same age as mine and play together. And I still struggle if they're going to be here during sierras nap time. Don't feel bad or worry about not wanting to watch someone else's kids. And hey, you only have one, who says he needs a schedule?!? Andrew didn't and he's just fine. Our schedules didn't really hit until Andrew was in school. Ben put himself on a sleep schedule though, all by him self:)