Adjustment Period

My older son (almost 4) is having a little bit of a tough time re-adjusting to my parents being home.  He's acting out, being VERY clingy with me.. and whiney, and borderline obnoxious at times.  This is very unlike him.  He is generally a very good kid.  Always polite- remembers to say "please" and  "thank you" and when need be, "sorry" and "excuse me."    The past few days he is being so contrary.  If I say up he says down, and so forth.  He's gotten put in time out several times a day.  I scream at him which makes me feel awful.  I don't want to be screaming at him, but I also have to make sure I'm disciplining him so my parents don't think I put up with these behaviors.  It sucks.  He does NOT act out like this when they're not around.. It makes me sad to think that this is their perception of him.  They don't really get to see the sensitive, generous, snuggly guy that I know and love so much.

He's had 2 accidents this week-- which he hasn't done in months.  I try to subtely let my parents know that he is having a hard time with the latest shake-up to his world.  They seem to shrug it off.  My intention is to get them to pay a little positive attention to him.  Do something fun and/or special with him.  Get down to his level if they expect his affections.  Get down on the floor and build a block tower with him once in a while if you want that hug and kiss at bedtime.  It doesn't come for free.   I think that their thinking is kind of old-school and think that I'm feeding them some psycho-babble that I must have picked up in college.  They don't seem to buy into the fact that the adults in his life constantly coming and going are having any effect on him.

I'm just going to have to keep trying to be extra patient with him and hope for the best.

I had to drop off preschool paperwork at the pediatrician today.  There were 2 brand new babies being brought in for their first ever well checks.  In both cases the dads were carrying the infant carseats holding the baby while the mothers trailed along, walking slowly as they are recovering from delivering those tiny little beauties.  It made me mad at my ex *again*.  I went to just about all my pediatrician visits alone.  With my first son, I literally had to walk there because I was still living in midtown and couldn't get a cab that day. He was 5 days old.   I lived on 55th & 6th Ave.  The clinic is on 51st and 9th Ave.  Do the math.