After 3 minutes of full-blast wailing


It was a tough day.

  • The first Monday after changing the clocks back to standard time,
  • walking the dog in the dark,
  • little brother requested that we make cupcakes, which delayed dinner a bit,
  • reading school library book about lighting, before finally…

we got to the much-anticipated next chapter of book 2, in the Harry Potter series!

You might be asking why a 6-year old is reading Harry Potter? we picked up the first book at a book swap last month at school, thinking that it might sit on a shelf for a couple of years until he was ready for it, but he wanted to try it. Before we knew it, we had finished it, and he wanted more. He doesn’t get it all, but he definitely is following it, and loves it.

So, tonight, after a very long day, and with pitch black outside, we started on the next chapter. Within one page, he eyes had closed, and he was out, but not completely, and before I’d even budged from his bed, his eyes popped back open, and he was insisting “Keep reading!”. I refused gently, reasoning that if I kept reading, he would just fall asleep, and not remember anything of what we’d read tonight. He threatened “I’ll cry!”, and, as I remained unmoved by that threat, he proceeded to wind himself up into a good sobbing wail.

Until, about 3 minutes or less later, he was out like a light.


2 responses to “After 3 minutes of full-blast wailing”

  1. Mary Menkedick Ionno Avatar

    Love your post. Short but very relate-able! I don't know how many nights i have listened to one of my two scream and holler only to find them passe dout after I don't hear a peep for a few minutes. I think I am going to try that routine one night when I am wound up and can't get to bed! Thanks for the post!

    1. Janaki Avatar
      Janaki

      Ooooh – what a great idea!! I might think about trying that, too. I have, in the past, when kids are melting down, mostly the 2-3yo tantrums, joined in the screaming/hollering, and sometimes it works to get their attention, distract them, and bring them back to some level of reasonable communication. But, there's clearly something cathartic about just letting out a good few minutes of yelling that kids enjoy, and we don't – I'm sure it's a good stress-reliever (and, of course, that's already been exploited by retreat centers that get people yelling and "letting it all out").

      Thanks for the comment! I took a quick glance at your blog, and I'm so impressed – I'll have to come back and read more – I really love the recent one on gratitude. What a great way to end the day.

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