One parenting lesson I’m learning right  now and that so many others have learned before me is that weekends aren’t always what they’re cracked up to be.  Now that my lil’ munchkin is growing into a healthfully defiant 2 1/2 year old, weekends tend to throw a wrench into our well oiled routine.  We wake up Saturday morning with the highest of hopes for a nice respite from the busyness of the week only to be pulled abruptly back down to reality.

The past couple of months Eva just cannot handle the change in routine a weekend brings.  She is so happy to have her Daddy home, and I am so happy to have her Daddy home so he can take care of her, and I can get a little bit of a brake but it just doesn’t work out that way.  Our toddler NEEDS routine and does not do well when it is disrupted.  This leaves me feeling resentful that my husband is home on a weekend?!  WTF?! 

As far as letting Daddy do the usual routine things like taking her to the potty, getting her dressed, brushing her hair.  She will have none of it.  Daddy is not for taking care of me!  He is for playing with me!!!

All of this disruption in her routine makes her a very grumpy little girl.  Crying and throwing a fit over every little thing.  Daddy tries to do something like say get her dressed, she will have none of it and start crying, mommy steps in to try and work some magic, she starts crying even harder “I want my Daddy!!!” 

This reminds me of how I used to be when I would come home from being at a friends house all weekend.  Now I know why my dad would tell me.  “If your going to be so grumpy when you get home I’m not letting you spend the day at a friends house anymore.”    I totally get it now Dad.  Just what you always wished for right?

Maybe the real lesson I’m learning (over and over again) is that life with kids is an ever changing process.  Nothing ever stays the same for long.  I used to look forward to weekends…now I look forward to Mondays.  Go figure.

photo credit: Chelsea Peterson (go check her out on flickr)