Myrtle and Eunice described them as ‘scratchy’ days. The ones where from the minute you wake up, life is difficult. Everything is noisy. Nothing goes to plan. You bump and claw and drag yourself though the entire day.
The children don’t help.
On scratchy days the children are diabolical. The whinging alone is like fingers down a blackboard and then you can add the squabbling. They’re like cats in a barn fighting for territory. You spend most of the morning sorting out a rumble over a doll that is tossed to the side within minutes. Everyone is crying because so and so touched them on the leg or walked near their room or used the purple texta. No one can sit still for more than five minutes so the house wriggles like a bag of maggots.
The walls close in.
You throw them outside to play. They stand on the back deck smearing at the glass doors begging to be taken away from this sunshiney, fresh-air prison. “We just want to draaaaaaaaw,” they whinge. You open a window and toss out a box of crayons.
A quick lie down on the couch does nothing. You can hear them bleating outside through the glass and, let’s face it, it’s been a car crash of a morning and you’re all scratchy too. A small tear escapes.
You drag yourself off the couch. It’s an effort to stand.
You know what you have to do.
You throw a bottle of water and some apples into a bag. “Get your shoes on,” you screech. Everyone gets bundled into the car and off you go. They fight like Tysons the entire way there and your head almost explodes from the effort of concentrating on the road. Fuck, you think, fucking fuckety fuck.
Once there, you all spill out of the car like curdled milk. There is a silent pause as you survey the grumpiness of each other. It’s the first time they’ve stopped talking since sunrise. “Well, go on,” you urge. “Let’s go and have some fun”.
You explore the fire trails, ride the flying fox, push the swing 127 times, slide down a slippery dip and play noughts and crosses. They climb a tree and laugh and play and delight in each others’ company once more. There is only one scuffle over whose turn it is on the slippery dip (the bruises will heal). A slight breeze carries the scent of Spring and the sound of your laughter. Life is suddenly do-able.
Scratchiness. Only fresh air can cure it.
[Image found here]
A Farmer's Wife says
Yesterday started scratchy. Like you we got outside for most of the day….
Anne says
Gosh, it must’ve been bad Maxabella. I’ve never known you to swear on your blog.
On ‘scratchy’ days, I think about tomorrow.
Anne xx
InkPaperPen says
Curdled milk and a bag of maggots…I loved reading this super description of a Scratchy day. Aren’t they the worst? Nic once told me how her MIL told her to “change the dance”. I think it is fabulous advice. Like you, we change the dance by heading outdoors but I also find a good loud song and a dance in the living room works wonders. Literally, changing the dance…Little Lion Man works in this house. I cringe at the “fuck it up” lyric but it’s a great speed for dancing out scratchiness!
x
Diminishing Lucy says
Bushy park walk or bed. All of us.
I shall blog about this another time…
emma @ frog, goose and bear says
Brilliant! Sometimes you all just need to get out! Think that’s why I’m appreciating the sun so much at the momemy after too many cold winter days.
Ms Styling You says
I do all of the above then have a nana nap and a wine.
Majid Ali says
Please help me by reading my appeal on my profile
Heather says
On the scratchy days outside we go as well. I run the kids till they are raggered so they are sufficiently worn out and then everything feels so much better. Early to bed and a glass of wine for me. Thankgod for wine I say. xxx
Kerry says
Scratchy children days were a long time ago. Now I just get to hang up on them if they’re being revolting. But thank you for the incredible visual of throwing the crayons out the window. If I’d been having a scratchy day that would have cured it for sure π
Squiggly Rainbow says
Scratchy days do my head in… I don’t know if it is because of our Asperger household and my boys are a wee bit older now (6 and 10) – all they want to do on a scratchy day is play on the ipad or computer. I hate it – I want them to draw or use their imagination (which is Asperger interesting and limited). I loved the movie ‘The Kings Speech’ and I find myself having interesting self-talk….
“Bugger, Bugger, Bugger, Bugger, Shit, Shit, Fuck, Fuck”
Yep, I have them and I am so glad you do too! xoxox Rach
Naturally Carol says
Hi Maxabella..these days it’s not the kids that make scratchy days worse it’s the dogs. On those awful days all I can see is dog hair on the floor, on my clothes and everywhere and all I can smell is dog and it’s worse ‘cos usually those days are wet when the dogs are inside all day and sit huddled on the back porch when I put them outside in the rain..then I feel mean! At least I can put the dogs outside..I couldn’t so much with the kids..or ignore them when I wanted to either!!
Kate says
I called for mandatory siesta today! Even for the ten year old. Scratchy days even happen on road trips through the Kimberly’s the do. After they were all asleep, my farmer boy sat peacefully and watched a dvd on my laptop in the carvan annex. A bit of time out and I’m as good as new. Bring it on.
trudi@maudeandme says
Thankgoodness other people have these days too!
I actually find on these days chill out time for everyone is required. So for the kids it means time in front of the TV ( I wish they would siesta).
If that fails lots of deep breathing and counting to 10 slowly.
Nurture the Little People says
yep scratchy days means get outside and go for a drive for at least 30 minutes to some park, bush trail, beach or other outdoorsy adventure place where we can all inhale some fresh air and wear ourselves out and sleep in the car on the way home!
therhythmmethod says
We’re the same: walk, ride or drive somewhere else. Park, along the coast, anywhere it doesn’t matter how loud you are. Fresh air gets rid of those maggots and the smell of curdled milk (love the descriptors!)
Agree with Gill too, changing the dance helps too. We use this at nap time if we are stuck home with one in bed and everyone else scratchy (including mama). Hard to be scratchy with Justine Clarke on the CD player.
Kellie says
I do exactly the same. Only the park is around the corner.
Then we come home, I put them to bed and I fall down.
Posie Patchwork says
Exactly the same, grab the dog, gather the children & off we go. Sometimes one child will want to hang home, alone, sure, they’re left behind (the ones over the age of 10 i’m talking, not babies) & everyone comes back happy. Better yet, my eldest 3 can go alone, shock horror ladies, this is the future, your children are eventually old enough to go to the park alone, with a German Shepherd as their ‘body guard’ & a mobile phone so i can remind them to come back, eventually. Serves well for one on one time. I figure, if over the age of 10 they can go to a public pool on their own (i’d only ever use a military one & never be far behind myself for a swim) but hell, what were we doing when we were 10?? Bush walking, going to the park, catching the bus home – we were actually out of the sight of any supervisors for hours. Love Posie
Posie Patchwork says
Oh i see Majid Ali left a comment on your blog too. He has excellent taste, but didn’t make it to my approval button. Sorry Majid, i just don’t think you’re really into my blog, love Posie
Miss Pink says
Add mass cleaning to that. When I’m stressed out, or craving alone time and can’t get it, I clean.
When i’m really desperate? My parents live 8 houses away, I let them take over for a bit.
Down that Little Lane says
We had a very, very scratchy day… 4&2 yrs old = Mummy I need you to to play with me rather a lot.. I chuck them in the garden and let them make mud mess… Equals 1hr silence followed by 20 mins cleaning…INSIDE and an extra load of washing but they have a ball and I get sanity back….for an hour!
ally says
Beach, park, crazy dancing
I think you’ve got it all worked out
xxx
Kymmie says
Oooh, I love that term. Haven’t heard it before. But on days like this, the kids go in water, or we DEFINITELY get out of the house.
Actually, scratch that. I’m now proactive. I get out BEFORE the kids get awful. Every day.
Love the way you wrote this. xx
Lizeylou says
Maxabella …I so love you. Reading this post perfectly describes us at the moment .. and I too think ” fucking fuckety fuck”
MultipleMum says
I thought this was going to be about Maxi’s nits!
We get out of the house. Anywhere (often your place) but usually a park. Who wants us to visit when we have four children driving each other nuts?
Scratch, scratch x
shine little light* says
black. board. nails. makes my stomach churn just to think of it… Good work swearing in your head and getting outside. You’re awesome. *s*
neesay says
We had a “scratchy weekend”. I usually just have a wee melt down and resort to screaming like a banshee. In self defence though we did try the park AND a overnight stay at my folks farm with no success. Still scratchy. Still a banshee. Thank god for wine & bloggers who make you feel semi-normal.
Mrs Bok - The Bok Flock says
Oh you gem of a lady – you sum up ‘scratchy days’ so succinctly and illustrate them so well! I’m with you, nothing for it but to take them away to new surrounds and fresh air and let them run it out. Or the pool or the beach to splash it out. Anything to take them outside themselves for long enough to let their insides rebalance.
Jodi @ The Scribble Den says
Oh yes. Been there done that, many times indeed! Fresh air, the park and an ice-cream thrown in for good measure always helps π
Tatum says
the park is always a good antidote, with a picnic (or chippies from the takeaway) even better. sitting on the floor and singing…better than crying and rocking I suppose…I know on these days it takes superhuman concentration to keep smiling. hope that tomorrow is more shiny than scratchy. tatum xx
Tammi says
Brilliant, brilliant post! I am so glad I am not alone in scratchy days…we have had many days like this over the years and will continue to do so, it’s just life and there is nothing quite like fresh air to blow a bad mood away π
x
Jen R says
Thanks for describing so beautifully what lots of us go through!!
Mum on the Run says
Exactly the same.
Including the fuckity, fuck bits.
π
Lisa says
Scratchy days: reminds me of scratching nails down a blackboard. I cringe at the thought.
Had one of these recently: http://lisasimplyme.blogspot.com/2011/08/its-tantrum-time.html
Cat says
Scratchy day here today….thanks for helping give it a label for me π Made all the worse by being barely mobile at the moment with some hip and pelvis issues at 32 weeks. Bebito doesn’t really “get” it. Fresh air helps no end you’re right.
Rhonda says
i love the label “scratchy days”….and i’m with fellow commenter @naturally carol…lately it’s the dogs that annoy me. everywhere i look something has a stray dog hair on it and i feel like all i do anymore is dust, vacuum and run around like a crazy woman with a lint roller.
Lene says
We do what you do and escape to fresh air. If it’s raining; movies and popcorn all ’round. Cures even my scratchy old head!
Tania says
Hey, I’m living it with you, sista. ‘Curdled milk’ is also exactly, precisely right.
Georgie says
Thank goodness we don’t need to go far these days to fight those scratchy feelings. I sit on the deck warmed all day by the sun and watch the grass turn green. It works. gxo
Tas says
Reading that post was like channeling my own scratchy days. I too would swear lots and throw crayons out the window π
We just don’t seem to have the “everyone playing together nicely” stage no matter what we do. So I just go straight to the “deep breaths- tomorrow is another day”
Rachel @ Trailblazing My Life says
Love the term scratchy days! For me, scratchy days demand a slow down, reboot and hot chocolate chip cookies and tea. I think scratchy days are there to show us that control is an illusion and offer an excuse to chuck busy agendas.
Rachel @ Trailblazing My Life says
Just wrote a “scratchy” inspired post at http://trailblazingmylife.blogspot.com/2011/08/starts.html
Cherry Blossom Kids says
Play dough cures all on our scratchy days. I don’t care how much mess is made, it is worth it to have an argument free hour or two.
Carly Webber @ My Life in Colour says
I love your descriptions – “…sunshiney, fresh-air prison….. You open a window and toss out a box of crayons.” I don’t know maybe it’s the sleep deprivation but I’m still cacking it over this!
At least there is a cure huh!?