There’s This Thing…

/by

There’s this thing.

It’s driving you crazy.

It’s different for every child, of course, but whatever it is your child is fixated on it.

Maybe it’s a favorite TV character or show, watched over and over and over.

Maybe she just won’t…stop…sucking…her…hair…

Maybe he keeps asking whywhywhywhywhywhywhy?

You wake up each morning, ready to start a new day. Fresh, energetic, going to tackle the world. Or at least your small part of it. You swear you will not get upset or frustrated. Not today. Oh no, today is going to be different, better, perfect even. You practice smiling in the bathroom mirror. You take a few deep breaths. Today is going to be the best day ever!

But first, coffee. You pass the family room to get to the kitchen…

And there she is, on the iPad, sucking her hair.

And there he is, watching the same episode of Gumball, for what? The hundredth time?

And what’s that they’re wearing—his bathing suit in the wintertime? Her footed pajamas in this sweltering heat? Is he even wearing anything?!

And just for that moment, you see RED. All that good will you had a minute ago—it’s gone in the blink of an eye. The stress and frustration and despair engulf your entire body, oozing out of your pores. You want to scream, kick the cabinet, tear your hair out, and more. You want to cry—lock yourself in the bathroom, turn on the shower, and just have your own meltdown. Above all else, you want to turn in your Adult card for the day.

I’m the one that gets to tell you: Life doesn’t work that way. Take a deep breath. Suck it up. Dry your tears. Take another deep breath. Relaxxxxxxxxxxxxx. Things could always be worse.

One of the phrases I seem to say the most is “This too shall pass.” But, guess what? This thing might not. It just may be something that you learn to deal with, or at least accept, as part of your life.

More likely, it’s just a phase. And phases do pass. They pass without any warning. One day she’s doing that thing that she’s been doing for what seems like forever, and then the next she isn’t. At first, you won’t notice. You’ll just feel like something is missing. And then you’ll realize what it is. Whoohoo! Finally!

But don’t pop the champagne yet—you won’t have time to celebrate. Because while old habits might die hard, new ones are waiting in the wings to take their place.

Whywhywhywhywhywhywhywhywhywhywhy?

Believe it or not, the things that drive you crazy may just be the very things you miss one day.

Rachel L. MacAulay

Founder at Challa & Haggis
Avid reader, lapsed wanderer, reformed cynic, and sometime cyclist. Believes laughter really is the best medicine.

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