We’re nearly 6 months into the year. Five days into the week. And 4 weeks into term 2 of school. With school, and life in general, there’s the learning, the listening, the focusing, the ‘being told what to do’, the homework, the friends and who to play with today. At times it can just be too hard for a little brain to handle.

It was Friday afternoon. Hubby had just headed out for a rare evening with friends. I’d done school pick up and was now at home with school child and toddler. The end of the week – it can go one of two ways

• We make it through the afternoon and night, unscathed
• There’s a melt-down by either the school child or toddler – end of the week hissy fits.

This Friday we didn’t escape unscathed. I cannot for the life of me remember what started it but school child and I ended up in a heated discussion that included tears (from him – I managed to hold mine back). I know our discussion lead to high pitched raised voices and went on for what felt like an eternity (but in reality was only a few minutes). All of a sudden we both let out a sigh, at exactly the same time. We were both tired. He’d been at school all week. I’d been at work. We were both struggling with colds and hideously sounding coughs that kept us awake at night.

I was at his eye level and we just looked at each other. It was in that moment, looking at his eyes, I realised that he’s growing up, probably a little faster than I’d like. He’s questioning things that I say; he’s pushing boundaries to see how far he can get but I think also to see how far he’ll go out of his comfort zone; he’s doing what he should be for a child who is nearly 6.

For me, I need to realise this more and let the chains go a little. I’m not saying he’s going to go and do or say whatever he wants, and I’m a believer in following through wit//h consequences even if it disrupts me – how else will they learn that in life there is a consequence to everything, good and bad? But I guess I’ve got to realise that he is more aware of what is happening around him. He is going to question what I say instead of just saying ‘Ok’. And I’ve got to allow him to do it. I’ve got to have the patience and listen more.

On this particular Friday, after we both sighed, we just looked at each other. After a moments silence I held out my hand and he took it. We cuddled. Tears were wiped. Nothing was said. We went into the lounge room and watched ‘Cinderella’. And that was that.

Parenting is exhausting but being a child can also be exhausting, especially during emotional and hormonal development stages. Let’s just hope there’s not too many of those stages!!

Has anyone else gone through this? Any tips and tricks to survive it all?