"Be Happy"

Frustrating toddler tantrum balanced by a very calm Daddy. Declan has decided recently that he doesn't want to go to bed. He likes his toys and he's a busy little guy. This evening we played in his room in his tent for a half hour. Lots of giggles and hearty laughter. We stopped so I Could take a few minutes and eat dinner so he got back to playing with his Lego. Quarter to 7 and it's time to get into pjs and head upstairs for bed.

Oh the tears.

And he likes to yell at us.

Laying on the ground tears and some leg kicking.

He cries and mumbles to himself the entire way up the stairs. In his room calls for a Kleenex (he's been crying - don't we know he needs a Kleenex?!?).

He just won't calm down.

That is until Daddy asks Declan to come to him, he cuddles him in and says "tell me why you're sad Declan. What are you upset?" He just holds him close and talks in a quiet voice. Declan nibbles quietly back to him about how he doesn't want to go to bed and Daddy calmly tells him that he has all day tomorrow to play with Mommy but he needs to sleep for that to happen. 

Eventually Declan has calmed down enough that he's cooperative and after a series of steps we take every night, we get him into bed.

I was exhausted already from work and low on patience. I was really impressed with how calm and patient Tyler was with him. Lucky little kid our Declan is.