Getting back into the morning groove

So this morning was alittle better then most school mornings. There was only two melt downs between 6:45am and 7:15am. Since I run my own company, and am starting to work for another company out of the house, sometimes I work very late and like to sleep in. Well last night was a late night, went to bed around 2am, and decided to sleep in. Tom woke me up at 6:30am because he forgot to set the alarm and our daughter was very upset because she wanted to wear her Renaissance skirt and shirt, and she knows she is not allowed to. All her cloths haven't been folded since I washed them all the day before. So Tom was going through the laundry and getting frustrated because he "doesn't know how to dress a girl!" I just have to stop here and giggle to myself. Believe me, he doesn't!! Hee hee. That is a story for a later date....all the outfits Tom has let her go to school in *shaking head*. Atleast he wakes me up now! HA Anyways, I drag outta bed and I have a very upset daughter and a frustrated Tom. All I say is let me start the coffee. I go turn on the pot, and go get her cloths. She wanted to wear a short, short pair of shorts (only for swimming and inside the house), and I said no. So I get her a pair of jeans. Now the jeans are perfectly fine, the bottoms have some frey and maybe 3 TINY holes from her walking on them. Well it was enough to have her get upset. She stated how she is going to get sent home from school because there are "holes in my pants" and that the world was going to end. Now usually I would interrupt her, get frustrated at her because she is being unrealistic and maybe even yell. This morning I just let her get it all out. Then I calmly explained that that wasn't going to happen, she wasn't going to get sent home, and it was better then having her butt cheeks hangin out (which they don't in the short shorts, but it made light of the drama). That made her laugh and life went on with the pants. I am reading a book called "Don't sweat the small stuff...and it's all small stuff" by Richard Carlson. The chapter I just got done reading was to not interrupt others or finish their sentences. He made a huge point. He talks about how hard it is to do that because not only are you thinking about what you are going to say, you have to be one step ahead of the other person to think about what they are going to say then come back with what you are going to say. How exhausting! Take a step back and let them say whatever they want and then you talk. Not only are you allowing them to validate how they feel and what they think, and allow them to think for themselves, you are giving that person a sense of self worth. I am horrible at this habit. So I am currently working on it now. I know this morning it worked with her, and in the future I hope it does to. Plus the situation didn't escalate any further, which some mornings it has. So the other explosion was about a water bottle that was brand new. She filled it up monday and left it on it's side and it leaked everywhere. So I told her to take a V-8 on Monday and we would get her a new one when we went to the store next time. Well this morning she wanted to take it to school. I was trying to explain she couldn't and she kept cutting me off. Now she has a very hard time putting sentences together, so for her to explain anything it takes 20 years..lol. I took a deep breath and shut my mouth. She said it worked and was trying to explain that she didn't screw it on tight enough and she wanted to show me that by filling it up and turning it upside down. Now obviously I didn't want to have water everywhere and said no, but she was trying to explain it was because "the screwy thing didn't go right mom". So if you know ju-ju bean talk you would understand that. But if you woke up 20 minutes ago with no hot coffee, a frustrated man, and upset daughter, no lunches made and a dog ready to eat the kitten...you would see why I didn't want her to "show me." But I gave in. Sure as anything, she filled it up and turned it upside down. And you know what? It was fine. See, that is because I trusted what she was saying and I took the time to listen. So the two lessons I learned. 1. Have her cloths laid out and lunch made the night before. and 2. Shut up and listen. Do not interrupt and finish her sentences.