Crying at the dinner table

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A lot of my good and not-so-good parenting moments seem to be related to the dinner table.  Tonight I cried at dinner.  And I wasn't crying about the quality of the food on offer!

Why didn't I take notice of this ad?

A long afternoon of helping kids with homework, music practice, getting kids to and from various activities, nit removal, cooking dinner all against the backdrop of a very sad Kindy child (who was pretty sad for most of the afternoon before he collapsed into bed after dinner), all culminated with me shedding tears at dinner.

It was partly a sense of being overwhelmed by the juggling, but also a feeling of relief that Rowan had come home and I wasn't on my own dealing with it any more.  I had also felt stressed about whether I'd be able to actually get dinner on the table.  I'd had so many interruptions to actually getting it cooked that I felt a bit panicky by the end.  Probably resulted in the tears.

Some days just aren't that great are they?

Comments

Catherine said…
Jenny, any day when nit removal is thrown into the mix is a bad day - just takes so long and adds to the stress of getting things done.

Enough about when kids can walk around the neighbourhood alone - when can they comb themselves for nits?!?!
October 26, 2010 at 11:00 PM
Karen said…
No, they aren't. I had an afternoon like that today too. For me it was the added stresses of hearing I hadn't been successful with a job application and choosing poems for the kids to say at the school poetry recital that did me in...

You did well though to cook dinner. I was such a mess I couldn't even manage that. Fortunately my husband can cover very effectively in these situations and managed to arrive home, cook dinner in half an hour and then head off to Bible study, by which time I had calmed down enough to manage bedtime and the kitchen cleanup.
October 27, 2010 at 9:51 AM
jarricks said…
Hi Jenny, I think you need to take your accumulated millions from working and splurge on a self-indulgent overseas holiday to compensate.
October 27, 2010 at 2:10 PM
Jo said…
It was probably the sad child child that pushed you over the edge, sometimes there is nothing you can do to help thereand it breaks your heart.
Nit removal! One of my favourite pastimes. I am the go-to girl atCchurch when anyones child gets nits.
October 28, 2010 at 11:58 AM
Catherine said…
Hi Jenny,
Really lovely to discover your blog!
I can relate to your tears -- especially the relief of calling in reinforcements when a husband comes home to help! It's wearing the responsibility yourself that is the hardest thing.
November 10, 2010 at 4:13 PM
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