Confort in children

Feeling a bit stressed the last couple of days which has left me snapping easily at husband and finding it hard to focus on anything for longer than 5 minutes. Hence the neglect to my blog and blog roll. Apologies, I am thinking of you all though.

Son is teething and so had a rough night on Sunday and we made the mistake of allowing him to stay up for cuddles.. I know it sounds mean of me to say this, but we shouldn't have done this. You give this kid a inch and he takes a mile. The last 2 nights have been spent trying to again "teach him" how to put himself to bed and that Mummy and Daddy can't stay in his bedroom with him ALL NIGHT. It's tough work, involving a lot of whining and a lot of in and out between rooms. Usually takes a couple of hours too... So tiring.

I'm not super strict with Son but I do feel he and I benefit from him having a set bedtime routine. He goes to bed no later than 8pm and I should be able to just walk him into his bedroom, give him and kiss, say goodnight and walk out. He's generally always been good, slept through from 3 months old 7pm-7am and he is like this now too...except seriously, give him any hint that he can get away with anything (more play time etc.) and he grabs hold of that bad boy and won't let go.

Sometimes you gotta do the tough love.

But after doing the tough love I always feel guilty and want to climb into his bed and cuddle him all night, but I know if I do this we'll all suffer the following evening.

I cling to Son when I am feeling emotional or stressed. Mostly because I find comfort in the fact that this is somewhere I belong and am needed. And when I am with Son I am forced to put on the brave face and be in control and happy for his sake. I often delve deep into the worlds of play when I feel low or frustrated with something, because Son can always pick me up again just by smiling or sneaking up behind and rugby tackling me (a regular occurrence). When he was very little (and even when he was in my tummy) I would speak to him about what worried me etc. and just talk and talk and tell him about California and all the little details. I don't do that anymore now that he understand me. I fear he'll think I'm crazy if he hears everything I've got to say!