That’s the best way I can describe it. Just neverending. Which sounds obvious but the actual experience of always having to parent, phew…
I’m not having the best day today. He’s on summer break and hanging with me all day. We did okay yesterday but today it was just a domino of me feeling disappointed in myself that the house is always a mess and probably a level beyond that, like there’s too much stuff to fit. But my own level of non-cleanliness has rubbed off on my kid cause there’s no proper place to put his stuff. So I started cleaning then asked him to do some small tasks but I was feeling resentful for how he seems to just drop things wherever. I get it, you also got to teach them how to clean up and implement chores etc. and thus adds to the relentless grind of having to have these long term parenting plans but also try to be present in the moment and enjoy things and somehow have endless stores of patience. Today I definitely haven’t. I’ve lost my shit and yelled and just let things domino out of control into a terrible grouchiness. I know some days suck and we get up and try again. Just wanted to get it out I guess. No advice needed. Just ranting to rant.
Yo, I feel this a ton. I can never get him to clean consistently, cause he’ll get distracted by… well, basically anything. We had success with scheduling “clean up time” 1 hour before bedtime, for a while, but even we could never get it to stick. Best I’ve learned to do is remember it’s not malicious, “focus” is just something he doesn’t have mastered, yet. I’ll also point out, he’s gotten a LOT better in the past couple years. Hell, he voluntarily wanted to clean his room tonight, after having his friend over all day, he said they left the room a mess.
Yea, I often have to remind myself that it took me decades to get to where I am and I still don’t have it together ha. Someone told me in your head or even start a sentence aloud by saying your age and then their age and you realize how absurd some of your expectations are.