GOOD COP BAD COP

Written by Sheree Hoddinett 

Sometimes being Mummy means you have to be the bad guy. The one who yells, who smacks (yes, I do!), the one who takes away all privileges, cancels playdates and throws away treats. You also…at times… get to be the good guy. The lucky one to reveal surprises, actually handover treats, take everyone out to dinner and buy toys just because you can. There doesn’t always have to be a reason for which one you are, because you are only human after all. Being a mum (or parent in general) is an exhausting role. Yes, it’s one we chose for those who like to point out the obvious. But that doesn’t mean it doesn’t get too much at times or you feel like the whole world has it in for you. Because once again, we mums (and dads too) are only human after all. So why is it often expected that we take on such a superhuman existence?!

I know producing a teeny tiny human is a superhuman feat in itself. But that quickly changes when they come into the world and pretty much take away any energy you may have! And they continue to do so for many many many years. My girls might only be young but they have definitely contributed to the large shopping bags and dark circles always featuring heavily under my eyes. You know the types that no amount of makeup can cover, no matter how hard you try?! How come the littlest people that you love so much can sometimes be the hardest work?! I always say, lucky I love them right?! But it’s so much more than that. It’s trying to be patient when you have no patience left. Trying to be diplomatic when your last nerve has already left the building. Smiling when you feel beaten and all you want to do is cry. Trying to understand why your children are being feral when they have everything they could possibly want or need, it’s all just so much “fun”!

Sometimes I like to sit back and watch my girls as they play by themselves. It’s funny to see their individual imaginations at work as they set up their little game, chat away to themselves, giggle out loud and just have a great time. It’s in that moment that I love how creative their little minds can be. Plus I love the chance at some kind of silence in what can be a hectic time. Then bam, along comes the other child and the moment of peace just passes us by. And that’s when all hell breaks loose and I have to yell, enter the really bad cop! It’s always good while it lasts, right?! I’m not silly, I know life with kids is pretty much going to be this way, for the foreseeable future anyway. I know my girls love each other, but they also go out of their way to tick each other (and Mummy) off every chance they get.

Some days can be a challenge and other days a breeze. You can have a day start out perfectly (well sort of) and then by lunchtime, everybody is on the verge of tears. No matter what you do, no matter how hard you try for things not to go pear shaped, it never works! As someone who likes to be in control and is very organised, watching things unravel before me can sometimes be a little hard to swallow. You can imagine how quickly I felt out of control when dealing with a newborn for the first time. Now fast forward seven years and I’m dealing with a sassy, attitude riddled child (and her younger sister) who will probably get on my nerves many many more times before she even hits the teenage years. What have I done?! Haha! 

I know in the whole scheme of things all this will pass in the blink of an eye and maybe one day I’ll look back on it and laugh. Either that or I’ll still be rocking myself in the corner. Whichever way you look at it, it’s reassuring to know that I’m not the only one dealing with good cop bad cop situations, it happens everywhere, whether you admit to or not! Just don’t let them break you! Ever! Haha! Check out my page www.shereekim.com for more fun and adventures with my dearest darling offspring. Until next time…