Last night we had a house warming party for our new associate pastor's wife. I loaded up the car with both girls(Jasmyn 11-very quiet in public and doesn't like to be noticed and Hannah 21months-very social and loves to be the center of attention), gift, and myself. We headed out and what was to be a fun evening with just the girls, turned out to be the most embarrassing night of my life so far. I say so far because with Hannah I'm sure there will be more.
I realize that by posting it here, it just gives others an inside view and adds to the embarrassment that was already suffered.
When we first arrive Hannah was all wound up. She ran in circles and literally circles around people squealing at the top of her lungs. I did allow this for the first couple of minutes due to the fact that the shower had not started and Hannah evidently needed to burn some energy. Well, when we started, Hannah refused to sit or be quiet. The more I came down on her, the louder she got. After a trip to the restroom for a little discipline, she did settle the tiniest bit. If I tried to get her she would run through the chairs to the other side of the room and then laugh loudly. At one point in time when the room was quiet she, being in the center of the circle of chairs, squatted and passed gas loudly and then laughed loudly at that! Hannah's behavior of loud energetic rambunctiousness lasted the whole evening. A couple of trips to the restroom and a try with time-out only seemed to make her act out more. She understands that Mommy can't discipline her as if we were at home while other people are around. That point alone is very frustrating!
Towards the end of the evening I had another woman tell me about my child. I will not specifically repeat what exactly she said but that in itself was just the icing on the cake. I went home crying to my husband both hurt and embarrassed.
As of a couple years ago(before Hannah), I probably would have thought, but not said, what this woman told me. I do have an older child who would be the first to tell you that her Mother is a very strict disciplinarian. I am just as strict with her younger sister if not more so due to the personality differences. But that is just it-it is personality!
Telling my husband what an evening I had and how our youngest behaved he laughed!!! He informed me that his mother told him numerous stories of a young Dolan who did the exact same thing and even as he got older continued to progress into telling crude "poop" jokes around adults to only go home and get his spankings. He then called his mom to ask how she broke him of that, explained how the evening went to have her laughing. Her response was to spank when they got home. Not very much help this case. We had the restroom breaks earlier.
I do want to add that I am extremely sorry for any of you who may have been there and was distracted by my "unruly" child. If any one has any suggestions as how to deal with an extremely energetic child who loves people and enjoys being in the spotlight please feel free to leave a comment. Again I apologize for the distraction.
3 comments:
Well, I wasn't there, Charlie, but I can assure you that my kids (probably with the exception of Paul) have all done similar things. Sometimes on Sunday nights when Marshall was trying to do that small group circle out in the fellowship hall, and I was playing keyboard, and Aaron was leading singing, Olivia would be running around acting like a maniac and I was so embarassed. The thing is, and this is just my opinion, at Hannah's age, yes, you can "discipline", but she's just doing the terrible 2 thing (a few mo. early, which is normal). I'm guessing no one thought much of it, or if they did, they just thought, "she's so adorable and spirited." :-) She was probably loving the attention :-) And I don't know anything about the comment that was made to you, but I'd try to let it go. Keep smilin'. :-)
She was just being a fun little girl. I love her hugs.
Charlie,
There was a group of us just talking about the same kind of thing! Trust me everyone's child has done something similar. Jesus loves Hannah just as she is, He made her that way! He loves you too! As we do. Josie
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