Hi Sabs,
I'm sorry you are feeling so frustrated. It is certainly understandable.
One thing that has helped me is the realization that as long as I'm striving to stick to the routines then that is all I can do. Some days it will not matter how perfectly I am "doing the routine" DD is still capable of being way off. I stopped going into panic mode, feeling bad about myself, and trying very hard to find the needle in a haystack solution. As long as we are doing the routine, we are being the best parents we can possibly be. Truth is...I think...LO's are going to be the way they are with no guarantees from day to day. I believe though, that on those difficult days, you say to yourself, I am doing everything according to schedule but she is obviously doing her own thing and I can't (try as i might) control it all the time. Give in to it. Stick to the schedule and just accept that it will not always work.
We dictate the schedule, but in the end, at this young age...they are in control of what kind of day they will have despite our best efforts to insure that it be a good one. Only thing we CAN control is our reaction. There are only two options.
1. Panic/Stress
2. Acceptance
Take comfort in knowing that at least you are not in the group of people that have no semblance of a routine or any interest in doing all that we on this board are doing.
Give yourself a break. You are a great Mum.
