When is enough enough?

As far as I understand being a toddler is all about moaning and whining and throwing endless, unnecessary tantrums. Sorry, I meant to say is all about trying to discover how the world works and gaining some measure of control over it when you are constantly pushed and pulled around by grown ups all the time.

So one of Jasmine's favourite phrases at the moment is "my do it" - meaning "I want to do it", which is OK apart from the fact it also means "my way, in my time, and you don't get a look in". Cause of the current moan is about her wanting to take her shoes off. She successfully removed one but got completely stuck on the second. She managed to pull the velcro strap up OK, but wouldn't let go of it, instead she hung on to it which pulled it tighter, meaning her attempt to loosen the shoe with the other hand and then remove it were totally frustrated. Only Jasmine didn't get this. Instead, when I gently said "Jasmine, let go of the strap..." she took it as me trying to take over and started whining. So then I said "Let mummy help you" which made her cry. Then I tried "Mummy can tell you how to do it and Jasmine can do it" by which time she was in full on protest mode and was thrashing her feet around far too close to my face for my liking, but was still hanging onto the strap for dear life and trying to remove her shoe at the same time. About 10 minutes of me trying to teach her had passed now, and quite frankly, it was getting boring (it was boring to begin with) so I gave in to temptation, made her release her hand from her shoe and pulled it off to a crescendo of moaning, tears, whining and shouting.

I just left her to it. I'm so bored of trying to be a patient parent.

Unfortunately I can't seem to do anything right now. I've had enough.