Actually, it’s not about the pie.

We’ve come out the other side of a pretty stressful few weeks and I can say that I mostly survived. Everything happened that was supposed to, the major pieces have fallen into place. I am back at work. I have reliable childcare. We celebrated two birthdays. I looked after my grandparents. I can’t say it wasn’t stressful and I didn’t lose it a couple of times, but it’s over and I’m moving on (…to the next long weekend of solo parenting – this one coming up, but at least there’s no crazy houseful of 5-year-olds happening again).

The only slight issue is that my children have become complete nightmares. I was going to use a stronger word, but then I remembered I shouldn’t be cursing. Anyway.

I don’t mean the baby. The baby is lovely and is equally very happy to see his caregiver in the morning and is having his regular naps for her and is also very happy to see me when I get home. If he’s angry with me, he certainly has an odd way of showing it with those smiles and laughs.

But the other two. The older two are pushing boundaries and storming off in huffs and screaming a lot about shepherd’s pie (and I make a really good shepherd’s pie). I’m pretty sure they are kind of mad at me for going back to work, and I’m thankful I have the insight to realize that instead of just sending them off to the nearest orphanage.

So, I think we are going to have some more talks about their big feelings, and how we can make this work without me coming home to full-on tantrums.

The thing is that I’m still going to go to work, and I am always going to be going to work, until I retire or some other random surprise bad thing happens, and they are just going to have to get used to it. I’m much too happy with my warm coffee and my spreadsheets and my important decision-making to let a mega tantrum over hidden red peppers in his shepherd’s pie deter me from leaving the house in the morning.

It’d be nice if they were as happy to see me when I came in the door as I was to see them. I think it’ll happen eventually. Stay tuned.

Related posts:

1. Thanksgivings
3. This woman’s work
4. The shoe just dropped about a foot, I figure
5. Laundry tales