Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Bad Morning Will Hopefully Turn Into a Much Better Day

I think Audrey is 1)getting slightly spoiled by being the only child and 2)needs to learn to go to bed at a decent time at night.

Ashley is spending time with my Dad and Stepmom (and her cousin Morgan whom she loves...) so it is just me, Ray and Audrey. Audrey has taken over Ashley's seat at the dinner table. We are not sure how that will fly once Ashley gets back, but we will cross that bridge then.

So spoiled, yes by all the attention from Mommy and Daddy. And bedtime? The past two nights it was 10:00pm before she went to sleep. Grr.

So this morning was not fun. She battled me on getting dressed. I left her alone in her room while I got ready to leave, thinking she would get over it and be okay when I came back.

Well, she wasn't. She was still crying, still not deciding on the two choices I gave her. I eventually got her pants, socks and shoes on and got her hair combed (screw brushing the teeth) and took her to the van.

Yes, without a shirt. I brought her two choices with me and got to school where she finally decided on what to wear. She had calmed down, but then of course was SUPER clingy in her classroom. I hung around with her as long as I could - then her amazing teacher took over and gave Audrey lots of attention while I stood in the hallway watching. I had somewhere to be at 9:00am, and it was already after 8:30am.

So any tips on dealing with the "getting dressed" battle would be greatly appreciated. I hate that battle. I normally chose all of the girls clothes on Sunday and put them in their weekly closest organizer. Ashley, thankfully, could care less. Audrey? Sometimes gives me the battle like she did today.

And I had even laid out her favorite High School Musical t-shirt, so I don't get it. I surrender.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

I have nothing to offer here. Morgan rarely gives a crap what I pick for her to wear. The battle is typically getting her dressed. One morning, I had to be at the dentist. So, she came with--in her Old Navy jammies.

I'm awesome like that :)

Julie said...

Bribery? : ) Emily is on a stop light system at school and we've carried it over to home b/c we figured out she HATES not being on "green". I usually tell her if she misbehaves at home she'll go on yellow and that gets her in line.

SJINCO said...

I fight battles with my boys every single day, I'm beginning to think that it will never end. And also? The tantrums they throw seriously depend on the weather I think...

You just never know.

Jaki said...

LOVE AND LOGIC has a great remedy for this. But...consistency is the key and that is so hard! It sounds to me like Audrey wants control...don't lay anything out...put her clothes at a level she can reach them and just tell her to get dressed. Let her pick....but you have to be okay with her choice even if it doesn't match. Make sure that there is nothing at her level that is not appropriate for the weather or the venue. Then give her a time frame in which she has to be dressed....if she is not then she goes in her pj's. You have to make her feel like you really don't care what she decides but that whatever it is she has to live with the consequence of her decision. And....Good Luck!

Pamela said...

the daughter is 31 that gave us the clothes battle.

My husband took her to school in her pajamas one day. We never had that specific battle again.

Anonymous said...

Your Audrey sounds just like my Meelie. We battle getting her out of bed every morning. And then the dressing. Ack. I generally have her pick out her clothes the night before. This includes her socks and shoes and any kind of outer wear she needs due to the weather. As she is waking up, her dad or I will toss her (and the oldest's) clothes into the dryer for a little bit to warm them up. That way they feel good going on. It's just been the past week or so that she has been a little bit better. Still slow but no tantrums. Also, the bedtime thing has a LOT to do with it. I feel for you. Hang in there and good luck when Ashley comes back.

This was a great post. It made me feel as if I was not alone.