Tacos and Tantrums
Last night, we tried a new taco place as a family. We’re kind of in that season of life where we still ask for a high chair, but she also does any and everything to sit next to us in the booth. We opted to have her sit with us and something upset her...maybe I didn’t use the right crayon or something 🥴 #whoknows
Waylin started scream-crying. Ya know, the kind you would hear pre-baby and be 😩[so annoyed]😒 that humans would bring such an animal to a restaurant 😂.
Ben was automatically panicking. We were going to be THOSE people. As he was putting his coat back on, he said, “We have to leave!! Get her stuff!!” I told him to hold on as I talked to her calmly. <HE> cried, “Please! Take her outside or something!!” I told him not yet.
5 more seconds of pterodactyl cries and...I had done it! 👏 I tamed the wild beast and went on to eat my weight in chips and salsa. This story really doesn’t have a point other than I am so impressed with myself and my patience. It’s so easy to do the one-arm, abduction-looking, perpendicular-hold on your hip and run. I knew Ben was upset with me for wanting to exercise patience, especially in a public setting.
“Patience is not simply the ability to wait - it’s how we behave while we’re waiting. ...”
Something I have learned is that there is generally a reason for their behavior. Likely suspects include: hunger, tiredness, boredom, miscommunication, etc. I think a lot of our tantrums involve miscommunication due to her speech delay. It has to be incredibly frustrating to understand something, but not be able to communicate back. Patience and understanding can go a long way.
Sometimes I feel like I am playing “21 Questions” with her. She is still working on initiating speech, so it is easier to ask questions to try to pinpoint what she cannot say. This is what I did in the restaurant and through her little cries, she should say “No” or “Yes” to my questions about what she needs and what is upsetting her. When I can’t figure out what it is, I try to change course by suggesting we do something. So, I didn’t figure out what upset her, but I did convince her that buck-teeth on a smiley face was hilarious. 🙌🏻
I think being patient with kids makes their behavior better over time, not worse. And it will make them happier kids that become better listeners and better learners. At the end of the day, we are dealing with kids and not adults. Be patient and kind.
“You may not be able to control every situation and its outcome, but you can control your attitude and how you deal with it.”
Now, I won’t always be victorious, but it’s important to reward great acts of valor when you’re a mom just trying to eat tacos. 🌮
I would also like to mark this day in history as Waylin’s first real taco experience! My mouth hit the floor when I saw her reaching for a taco on my plate. She first grabbed bits of lettuce and said “isss gud” ❤ and then she just picked up the taco like she’s been scarfin’ them out of the womb! Ben’s face looked horrified because so many things could go wrong. 🤣 I mean, it was a hard shell, full of meat being manhandled by a toddler. But she did great! And she loved it!
Outside the restaurant, I spotted a huge tree in the center of town. I begged Ben to go see it and take a picture! I think it turned out really cute!
I can’t believe everyone was looking and smiling at the camera! #success
We tried to see the famous musical lights house in Paxton, but it was busy and…kinda boring! We were better off driving around and looking at normal houses and their Christmas effort!
Honestly, I was beaming with happiness after our little family taco and Christmas lights date night. It reminded me that we really need to do this more often. There is no greater thing in this world than spending time as a family. I just have to convince Ben that we have to be patient parents when we go out to eat! 😁
