Maybe if I had claws....

     I have come to the conclusion that I am an abused woman. I am screamed at, kicked, and hit on a regular basis. He literally walks all over me, takes me for granted, and feels free to relieve himself on me. He thinks I am his ladder to the rest of the world, he just climbs right up me! Is there a 12 step or something for me?

     Hi, I'm Adrienne...and I am an abused parent. ("Hi Adrienne" you all say in unison) Seriously though, don't you all feel abused sometimes? And I mean physically abused. The taken for granted and all that I can totally deal with-that's just how kids are. We wouldn't expect them to be any other way, and our unconditional love allows that stuff to just roll off us like water off a duck. But getting beat up by HM is getting old!!

     I know his intentions are just his to get his way, and he is so in the moment as all 2 year olds are. He is not thinking of me as his victim, or purposely trying to hurt. He just wants what he wants, and he wants it NOW!!!  Now as a human my instinct is to hit back. No, not the type of hit that would hurt. You know, a little hand smack. Like what a cat does to her kittens when they get out of line. But in watching my particular 2yo, I see how "monkey see, monkey do" he is. I know, as a mom, that me smacking his hand is only reinforcing his instinct to hit. But on the other hand, it works in the animal kingdom. I mean, eventually those kittens learn, right?

     Well, I have tried both approaches, and he still hits. Is my son more hard headed than those kittens? Maybe if I had claws? A Freddy Krueger glove perhaps? I try to be that always patient, full of love hippie earth mom, BUT IT"S HARD!! I bet Freddie's 2yo didn't hit him more than once!