When my son decided to play hide-and-seek at the local thrift store, prompting a full-on search party to find him? I handled it like a pro—calmly explaining the fear I felt once he was safely back in my sight.
When he accidentally scratched the new flat-screen TV during an impromptu game of ball in the living room? I simply pointed upstairs for a time-out, no fuss. I’ve learned to take the big mishaps in stride, but it’s the little things that truly test my patience.
It seems my sanity can withstand significant chaos because my kids are aware of the gravity of those situations. In contrast, the small irritations pile up, tugging relentlessly at the remnants of my composure until I find myself unleashing a passionate lecture about why we don’t place our feet on the dining table during meals.
Perhaps it’s because I expect them to know better. Or maybe there’s a finite number of times one can repeat the same instruction before the mental explosion occurs. As I grow older, my tolerance for minor annoyances dwindles alarmingly fast.
What I do know is that when the day finally arrives that I completely lose it—rocking in a corner muttering about how I even said “please”—it will likely be due to one of these everyday frustrations:
- Underwear twisted inside out in a pair of pants.
- A dirty outfit left just inches from the half-empty laundry basket.
- A clean outfit worn for a mere 12 minutes tossed in the hamper with the dirty clothes.
- An open snack cabinet in an empty room.
- Not flushing the toilet.
- The fourteenth consecutive week my daughter forgets to bring her instrument to band class.
- An empty container of food left in the fridge.
- Pleading for a new snack only to have it rejected.
- Socks balled up and tossed around.
- Her incessant repetition of that annoyingly catchy tune from a cringeworthy tween sitcom.
- Throw pillows repeatedly strewn across the living room floor.
- Insisting he’ll finish the entire bowl of cereal he poured but barely touching it.
- Leaving the cereal box open.
- Getting sticky handprints on me.
- Not grabbing socks when I explicitly asked.
- The ticklish chaos when I attempt to trim their toenails.
- Jackets discarded on the closet floor, despite hangers being readily available.
- Changing from play clothes into school clothes instead of vice versa.
- Refusing to accept “no” for an answer.
- Crumbs everywhere.
This article originally appeared on May 18, 2023.
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In summary, while big events may be easier to manage, it’s the small, everyday annoyances that can truly test a mom’s patience—and lead to a breaking point.