With Negativity Comes Negativity

So… it’s snowing. Which was cool, at first. Pretty and all. And I was really excited about toddler-based shenanigans in the snow. Nookie, however, had other ideas. And though she was initially excited, she’s now SO over it! My enthusiasm about going out to play in the snow has been met with numerous replies of “no mummy, I don’t want to go out”. And so we’re indoors… all the time…

You see, in the UK we don’t DO snow. It’s not a common occurance, even in winter. Sometimes we’ll have a light dusting of snow for a few days, but we rarely get anything serious. So when we do get serious snow, like now, the country comes to a stand-still. The roads aren’t gritted nearly enough, no one has a 4X4, people panic-buy milk and bread and the shops all become empty… it’s ridiculous. In our case, we live in a quiet street full of old people who rarely drive, so when it snows the road never clears and it just gets to the point where you can’t get out without risking an accident. Luckily we knew the snow was coming so I prepared and made sure the house was fully stocked with surplus supplies, so even if the shops sell out of stuff we should be good well into next week. But, for the minute and forseeable few days into the future at least, we’re stuck without transport.

And so cabin-fever is setting in. Stuck indoors with an energetic toddler… I can go two, maybe three days before I’ve had enough and NEED to go out somewhere for my sanity. There’s only so much Scooby Doo you can watch and games you can play before you just long for a change of scenery. I NEED TO GET OUT. But it’s snowing, again… so I guess we’re stuck in again tomorrow, and the next day, and the next day… *shudder*

Today I’ve been feeling my negativity growing. Not helped by the fact that Nookie has fought sleep all day and become increasingly manic to the point where she was just hurting people and herself. Of course, the more negative I feel, the more irritated I become, which makes Nookie’s behaviour worse, which makes me more negative, and so on… a viscious cycle that I only manage to break for a few minutes at a time before it starts all over again. No amount of deep-breathing or calming affirmations could stop me yelling at her when she tried to eat the salt while I was trying to cook (this was after she’d thrown maple syrup everywhere, knocked the toaster off, and otherwise made a big mess on the work surface I was simultaneously trying to knead pizza dough on). It also didn’t stop me yelling “GO TO SLEEP” at her at 9.30pm as she threw herself around the bed after being up for thirteen hours straight.

I always knew my secret for parenting my daughter is to get her out often, for my sanity and hers. I just don’t know any other way to channel her energy and keep myself positive. *sigh* I just wish the snow would go away now. Roll on summer!