Yesterday was a really good day, the best so far (told you it was a rollercoaster). It was the first day since Missy arrived that I've had her the whole day by myself as Daddy was at work. Every evening we run through with Missy what is happening the next day, and we also do this again in the morning. So I set out the agenda for the day: breakfast, bath and wash hair, then mummy needed to clear leaves from front garden and do some other housey jobs, then snack time, play, lunch, play/watch film, then Play Doh whilst mummy made dinner, play, tidy and quiet time, bedtime. Normally she hates it when I do jobs but yesterday she was very good and either sat quietly and watched her programmes or stood on the doorstep whilst I cleared the leaves, directing me as to which leaves to clear.
Play was good, we made a brilliant picture with tissue paper, a tissue paper poppy and did a letter to Santa (more of a drawing than a letter). We also played hairdressers - she has learnt to tie hair in a ponytail by herself this weekend so spent ages practising on me - and we played shops. Then we watched 101 Dalmatians, the 1996 version with the real dogs. On the whole she sat well and watched it, although I did have to explain quite a few things. She also got a bit bored towards the end and started dancing.
Whilst I made dinner, she played with her Play Doh. I hate the smell of Play Doh, not the same as when I was little, and it gives me a headache so a great excuse not to play with it and allow her to play by herself. Missy usually moans that she hates playing by herself so I was so pleased that yesterday she did so beautifully occasionally running in to see me in the kitchen with her latest creation or I went in to see what she was doing.
After dinner she again played by herself by which time was Daddy was home. Then she tidied away nicely and happily went up to bed for a story. A great day, albeit exhausting and Missy was certainly ready for sleep whilst I was ready for a cheeky drink and a huge bar of chocolate.
Today Daddy was off work and plans included breaky, play, light lunch, walk, Christmas fayre, roast dinner, which I'm just cooking. On the whole ok but there were a few shout the house down crying tantrums before we went out, including being asked not to swing camera against the wall, so of course she swung it against the wall. Daddy has now confiscated the camera. Then a few tantrums over not wanting me to help her dress and over which shoes to wear.
I love having a 5 year old but not so delighted having a 5 year old with 2 year old tantrums but it comes with the adoption territory. Daddy and I are learning how to handle these tantrums and we can certainly see some huge positive changes in Missy over the last 3 weeks. Lots to learn, lots more tantrums to come out but the positives are definitely outweighing the negatives right now.
HIya Sezz. Just wanted to reassure you that temper tantrums seems to be fairly common in our 5 year old as well. Our children are often at least a year emotionally delayed but actually quite a few of my friends with birth children are also experiencing the same thing in their 5 year olds. Katie throws some real humdingers at times (especially when she's tired after school!). Glad to see that everything is going well though. I'm reading a book called 1,2,3 Magic which Katie appears to be responding to quite well (that and early bedtimes. Sending lots of patience for those tantrums (and a sneaky glass of something chilled!!) x
ReplyDeleteThanks Gem. I'll check out that book.
ReplyDeleteIt's only four weeks so far so we're still getting to know her, but I can see already some tantrums are the usual 5 year old ones and some are related to her need for control. I'm seeing one of my good friends on Friday who has BC same age so am keen to do some general comparisons and swap notes.
x
I've not finished reading all your posts yet but I'm actually not at all surprised that Missy needs to control things around her. When you think of what she has been through with so many changes in her life - she probably wants to control everything around her otherwise it all spins out of control. How much control do children have in their lives? So very little. I have to try to remember this with Katie at times as well. They want to be in charge (even more so when they are at school all day having to do what they're told to do LOL). xxx
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