The joys of Christmas

The joys of Christmas... when you have a child who is on the attachment spectrum (I made that up but it works for me) are abundant.

1.  If you decide to travel -- all rules don't apply.  They do not need to be nice or polite or even resemble acting like a human.
2.  If you see grandparents (who have been told of all the struggles but don't want to give up their rights to spoil) -- self entitlement will rear it's ugly head.  They get what they want, parents be damned, and therefore it must mean they are in control and therefore, they no longer need to listen to you.  Meaning, #1 is affirmed.
3. It doesn't matter that you spent $150 on the one toy they were sure they could not live without.  It does not matter that it took 3 hours to assemble while they slept so you can keep Santa alive this one last year.  It does not matter that the damn thing is so big that you really aren't sure how to get it home because it will not fit in the car.  All they really want now is what their younger cousin got for Christmas.  And if the younger cousin even looks at that gift that they will not touch, a screaming match will erupt.
4.  You will stay up late driving.  You will stay up late making sure that the magic of Christmas is there for your child.  You will stay up late making sure there is food and cookies, and decorations that they will look back and remember fondly (but not for at least another 20 years)  You will sleep poorly on the blow up mattress in the basement so that they will get plenty of sleep in the comfy beds.  The bags under your eyes will grow so large that an airline would have no issue charging you extra for bringing them on the plane.  And all your child will know is that you are not going that one last extra mile to make everything just a little more exciting.
5.  And if you are smart enough to do therapy and work hard to improve the day to day life of your child, if you have taught her how to express herself and recognize issues as they come up, if you have taught her words that explain attachment, she will only throw it back in your face at a time that will benefit her the most, when she believes that she has the grandparents on her side and she can gang up on you. 

Yeah!  She was only slightly surprised when I reached my limit and threw her in bed (yeah, my bed, the blow up mattress in the basement) and made her go to bed without a story.  Not the best way to end Christmas day.  But I have to say today was a million times better and I am betting it was because I asserted myself as parent in her eyes.

Gotta love attachment

Mean Mama