Throwing Frisbees instead of Tantrums

My six year old has been somewhat difficult lately. Crabby a lot, stomping around, giving me dirty looks. Having complete meltdowns because he can’t go to someone’s house, or because Ella put his hotdog in her mouth and I had no more left to give him. And when I say complete melt-down, I mean on the floor screaming his head off and crying, so that I just step outside and tend to the other kids while he continues with his ridiculous tantrum. I have to tell him 5 times before he does anything, and then he often forgets what he’s supposed to do once he finally makes it to his destination. And all of my negative answers to his requests are met with “But…,” responses explaining over and over why I’m wrong and he should have his way.

So when he had his Kindergarten graduation last Friday, as I left the classroom, I turned to his teacher with a bit of worry on my face and said, “They do still have school next week, right?” And she assured me that they’ll be in class until Thursday. Needless to say, I’m a bit nervous wondering how we’re all going to function happily this summer with his little attitudes popping up all over the place.

But tonight, after dinner, the three kids and I went outside. In between pushing Max and Ella on the swings, I tossed the Frisbee with Cameron. And for the first time in a couple weeks, we actually had a lot of fun together. (And he was pretty good!)

I wonder if he’ll tire of Frisbee soon, because September is a long way away, and it might be the daily activity that saves my sanity this summer!