When Your Kids Drive You Insane...

I've discovered that the only time my kids (ages 3.5 and 15 months) drive me nuts is when I'm being unrealistic about something. For instance, trying to clean the kitchen while cooking dinner should just be a lost cause in my opinion. You should just wait until after dinner or until after they're in bed to clean up. I used to go nuts when I'd be trying to fold laundry or clean the floors while my kids fought or bothered me for something, and I'd just about lose it. Now I wait until a GOOD time to do those things. I'm not saying children shouldn't see us doing housework, because they should and they also need to learn patience. Dinnertime is also the worst time of day in my house, also. I usually just relax, cook dinner, and hold off on cleaning up any huge messes until after they're in bed. Just not worth the stress of trying to entertain them AND clean at the same time.
You're not alone though! Kids are nuts! :)
Lynsey

I used to drink wine out of a coffee mug.

Maybe you just need to split them up and have each play in different rooms or at least on opposite sides of the room, because if they cant play nice together then seperate them.
Then count to ten and sit down for a few minutes.
I know you said you dont believe in tv, but I personally dont think sitting them down to watch a kids video for a half hour to an hour would hurt, especially when you are at your wits end. Might be better than putting them in time out. Just my opinion though.

I used to get out the video camera and and record those crazy moments figuring it would be funny in the future. Or I'd think how entertaining it would be to replay it at their wedding reception (ah, revenge). Somehow, watching the action through the lens of my camcorder helped me detach and view their behavior more objectively. And now that my youngest is a teenager, the video of him as a toddler standing in the doorway screaming hysterically at me is pretty cute.

For us, separation is the key. Mine are 6 (girl) and 8 (boy) and they are best friends and worst enemies. Sometimes they are so into their argument that they can't even hear me telling them to knock it off and then I have to yell - which I don't like doing, but it's like they only thing that will break their argument focus - I yell "QUIET" or "THAT'S ENOUGH". Then I separate them for silent reading time or something, or start them on homework or a chore. I tell them that if they have energy to fight then they have energy to help me. Might be as simple as running some misc things upstairs or where ever they belong, or dust.
Now the calming down part - honestly alot of times I come check in with you ladies, just something to get my mind switched over you know? Or watch the news or listen to music or take the dog outside for a minute.

Yep.
I join your angst.

I have a 4 and 8 year old.
And they have naturally loud trumpet voices too.
By the end of the day, my ears are so overdosed on noise!
And they are active!
Every 5 seconds they call me.
At least my son is napping now.
Daughter doing homework.
But... it is that feeling of being on-call and at ANYTIME, someone will call your name or something will occur. So, even if sitting, like now, it is not really rest or time off.
Because, again, it is the feeling of ALWAYS being, On-Call. At any second.
That, drives me insane.

And even if my Hubby is home, well, I can't tell. Because it is still all ME.... with everything else and the kids.
And my kids, still call only me. Not him.
And he will generally only realize he needs to help, once my voice gets raised. By then, I am already a grump. And irritated.

I am a high energy person, used to doing 10 things in 15 minutes. What Mom doesn't? Well, that alone, would drive anyone nuts.

It is also the feeling, that a Mom is ALWAYS "on".... never turned off. So that itself, can drive any woman bonkers.

One time, a RARE time, I actually laid down on the couch to watch the news. (usually I am STANDING doing 1-2 other things while watching the news if anything). So then, my sporadically present Husband tells ME:
"Whoa, lucky huh, just laying down on the couch watching tv. You been doing that all night?"
OGM I wanted to strangle his neck!
He thinks, just because he sees me for the 10 seconds laying on the couch, that I was doing that "all" night. AHEM. But he doesn't see me nor know what 100 other things I am doing all night for the family AND the kids AND him.
I just, gave him a stink eye and ignored him. I was, speechless.

So yes, kids drive me insane, but it is also the other 'kid' in the house- the Husband, too.

So, when do "I" calm down????
Or rest.
Or, just get to do nothing?

Insane.
Being on edge.
Images of being a Hamster on a running-ferris-wheel thingy, comes to mind.

I find a movie for them to watch or find something for them to do or if all 4 are driving me nuts just being loud I play games on here while they get it out of their system

My husband was home with me today and we still had a day like that. My boys wouldn't stop wrestling and my 4-year-old has at least 20 pounds on his little brother, so it kept getting too rough, but the 2-year-old would not stop, either. He ended up biting his tongue three times, which meant bloody spit all over and more crying and both of us running on short tempers. (I'm also due tomorrow, so have completely lost patience with the world.)

I CAN'T WAIT to start running again and it is such a help for my mood--any kind of working out alone. I do sadly resort to a cartoon on days like that, but when I'm home I keep track of about how much time they spend watching. Coloring saved me this morning, but ended with the crayons thrown all over the kitchen. My toddler removed the wood slats under his mattress in the few minutes it took me to realize they were awake before I got in there. The worst thing is when you have to be doing something else. I had the kids outside for a half an hour for the first time in a while and I think it helped them a bit--we finally had a sunny day that wasn't too cold and wasn't too muddy. Sometimes I do bathtime out of order because they play pretty well in the tub--I just let them have all their bath toys and have a play bath until the water is too cold, and sometimes I even warm it up a bit to let them play a little longer. I hate just passing the kids off when my husband gets home, so try to hold out until they are asleep and then soak in the tub or something. Can't wait to add a glass of wine to that routine!