The Age of Frustration

There have been a lot of grunts, groans, squeals, and moans around here during play time. There all coming from Jack. It happens when the shapes won't go in the shape sorter just right. In an effort to help, I remove the lid so Jack can just drop them in. Oh no, Mama, that's cheating. Jack puts the lid back on and wants to do it the right way, no matter how frustrating it may be. It also happens when his farm animals won't stand on 4 legs on the playroom carpet floor. I tell him it's okay, they can lay down. But, oh no, Mama they must be upright. It happens when the baskets to his toy shelf aren't straight and don't fit right. It's really no big deal Jack, I'll help you. But, oh no, Mama, I want to do it by myself. And the list goes on and on. It got to the point, I thought he must not feel well. His fuse was so short. We made a visit to the Ped office on Friday. And yes, I was partly right. The doctor confirmed that Jack had a common cold with congestion and then quickly followed her diagnosis with, "welcome to the age of frustration". All of those moans and groans were somewhat due to not feeling well, but mostly due to another stage of toddlerhood. Oh, the stages we have been through...colic, teething, nap drama, clingy baby syndrome, and on and on. Now, we bravely enter another stage. The great thing about stages is...they come and go. I've learned that being a first time mother, it's taken me 17 months, but I've learned it. There actually is a light at the end of the tunnel. However, I think the stage of frustration is pretty cool. It can only mean that Jack is trying to figure things out, getting smarter, more determined, and gaining independence all at the same time. I even talked to the Ped about his recent attachment to Lovey in and out of the crib. What once was only a nap and bedtime ritual is spreading to other parts of our day. Again, her answer was pretty cool,"Jack is becoming independent, he wants to do tasks without Mommy hovering, so he takes the comfort of Lovey with him, it actually means he's growing up". How ironic, but it makes so much sense. So to the age of frustration, I say "bring it on", we can handle anything as long as it's just a stage.