A-Nony–Hah. That’s me. I make her (gasp!) take ONE BITE of EACH THING on her plate!! Gads.

Julie–I think it’s the length of it that bugs me. Ongoing. I really feel like there are times that we are diagonal to each other…and we just don’t like each other during those times. Yuck.

Jen–I’ll just have to pop over and commiserate!

SpaceMom–Ah. Now that’s a good tactic. I think I’ll adopt it, give it a try…

There are days that Soleil and I don’t click and that night we give hugs and we both agree to have better days the next day….

i am shoulder to shoulder next to you, sister.

Long periods these days, when we hit the 5 year old contestant for the Queen of Snottiness stage.

I am Primary Parent, Daily, All Day Every Day Parent. So I am No Fun. I do all the “brush your teeth, pick up toys, do chores, be nice, answer is no” and so forth daily discipline. Hubby sweeps in like a white knight and is FUN! Wants them to LIKE HIM! Wants them to BE HAPPY! Says YES!

Still they do go back and forth at times in preference but I’d say at least once a day one or the other thinks I am Mean Mean Mommy.

I’d reassure you this is a short phase but we are four months into it and while it takes a day off here and there, and there are these shining moments such as today (put on own shoes with no asking, begging, threatening etc. and tied them by herself with no tantrums!!!) I’d say I really miss her first few years when it seemed like in sync was the rue and out was the exception.

Now there is a lot of out of sync, for prolonged periods.

I’m sure if I read the right book it would explain independence and growth and development at this age and I’d understand better.

But.

I’m too busy chasing them and being mean to read.

Our twins go through this all the time. Mommy can do no wrong and Daddy is sort of, well, annoying and asking them to do stuff. And then a few days later, it’s Mommy on the s-list and Daddy is the one everyone wants to hug and love.

So what you describe sounds very normal to me.