Why is it some people just like to push your buttons? A friend told me today that his coworkers were pushing his buttons, and I responded that my 7yr. year old was pushing mine! Why is it we allow people to take us to the point of yelling and losing our patience when we know we shouldn't respond that way? It's especially frustrating when that person is a child! The main problem occurs with my 7 yr. old fighting with his little sister, and the problem escalates when they're in the car together. They both sit in the back, but they can still see, hear, and touch each other. The last couple of long trips I have purposely put a piece of tall luggage between them to cut out the seeing and touching factor. It really did help, too! I've often joked about coming up with an invention to use for that purpose, or installing a 'limo window" where I can just push a button and let them go at it, but I don't have to hear it! (Right after that last sentence I had to get up and go take care of fight about to happen. She walked into the room where he was and he started yelling for her to get out, and it's not even his room!)
I just get really sick of it sometimes. I can ignore it for a while, but when it persists I know I need to put a stop to it. When conventional, calm, rational ways don't work I find myself YELLING and losing my cool. I hate it when it gets to that point, but it's like he keeps pushing the little buttons that irritate me the most! Why can't he just choose to get along with her, have fun with her, or at least ignore her to keep the peace? What makes it even more interesting is that she won't back down! If he yells at her she'll yell back. If he hits, she'll hit. If he shoves her down she'll get up and shove him back! I guess it's the law of survival that comes with having two older brothers.
Sometimes I really think he just disagrees to disagree. For example: The last few times they've been with me on the weekend Z has wanted to go to Church A....the 1st church I took them to here. I've been going to Church B instead. Today I decided to go to Church A mainly for his benefit. When I told him in the car what church we were going to he started fussing, throwing a fit, and saying he wanted to go to Church B! This is the point where I either bite my tongue and try to hold on to my sanctification or I completely lose it and walk into church with us both angry and not exactly ready to worship! I won't tell you which I chose.....well, ok. I actually transitioned from losing it to biting it before we arrived. The service was great, the music rockin, and I felt at home. It was actually really crowded so I had to sit on the floor. I was offered a seat, but preferred to sit criss-crossed on the floor. Even though the children won't be with me next week I plan on going back. Oh yeah...after church all the kids, including Z, told me how much they absolutely loved their classes. I didn't think I was going to get Z out of there!
To add to the excitement Z had been messing with his loose tooth all day, and by tonight it was about ready to come out. He wanted to pull it and I told him I would video it when he did. So we went to the bathroom and I watched him pull it! Ewwww....I can't do it. He likes pulling his own teeth, though. We got that bloody mess cleaned up, and in less than an hour I heard him call, "Mommy come quick!" Usually when he says that he just wants to show me a toy or tell me something, but I could tell by the tone of his voice it really was something legit. I ran into the kitchen and his thumb was dripping blood everywhere. He had sliced it open on the metal pop top from the little ravioli meals. I grabbed a paper towel, folded it, and applied pressure to his thumb, and it took a good while to stop bleeding. He was calmer about that than he was the earlier church situation! I bandaged it up and he was ready to resume button-pushing with it again! :-)Just remember when you encounter a button-pusher you can choose to push back, or move back. It's got to be frustrating for them if they keep pushing but can't reach the button!
