Just. Stop.

Have you ever reached that point in the day when you just want it to stop? Just. Stop. The whining, the crying, the overdramatic reactions. Some days I do better than others. Today, I just want quiet. Do I want to fry my kid's brain with television? No. But if it's the alternative, do I want to fry my kid because I've gone OUTSIDE OF MY HEAD? Also probably a no.

But Regina, you say, it's a school day. Didn't you get a few hours to yourself to recharge? It shouldn't be that bad. Here's the thing. 1) Coulda Shoulda Whateva. 2) No, I didn't get a few hours to recharge. I got a few hours to do laundry and meet with my therapist. (If a question still arises as to why that's necessary, you may want to work on reading comprehension.) 3) I think it's harder the days she goes to school. The days she's home all day, I'm in game mode. I'm focused. We WILL survive this day or I'll die trying. The days my brain gets a break, I don't pick her up thinking "It's a beautiful day and I missed you so much that everything you do is cute." I pick her up thinking "Who turned the clock forward? Why is the break over? AND WHY, FOR THE LOVE, ARE YOU SCREAMING?"

She's currently laying across my feet writing on each page of an entire stack of post-its. Normally, this would be cause for a lesson on not wasting. At the moment, it's an exercise in how long I can sit in the same position without moving a single muscle. I don't care that there's a fort in my living room and a sink full of dishes that will all have to be picked up. I care that no one move or make a sound.