Both my boys can be brought to a lump of spirit-broken tears over a broken banana. Is there anything more devastating to a toddler? I remember the first time with each of my boys when the mindless task of peeling a banana turned into a fine art of ensuring that I did not bruise the top or somehow, God forbid, break the banana. There is nothing that can be done for a broken banana, and if you have children like my youngest, it cannot be fixed with a new banana. It is just one of life’s simple tragedies from which they must pull themselves up and bravely carry on with their day. I generally feel annoyed and think they are ridiculous when the meltdown of the broken banana spirals into a skipped snack. It’s a banana, move on!
This morning my son, Landon, wanted to use my cup so he dumped my breakfast shake and filled it with water. “NO!” I yelled. “Sorry, Mom. You can make a new one.” He dismissed my tantrum and carried on with his project. No, I can’t I thought to myself, because I got a 30-day supply, and then I will only have a 29-day supply and that will make every workout I’ve ever done completely meaningless!! Now I was in a funk, and I had decided to just skip breakfast because I didn’t feel like making another shake, and I wasn’t in the mood for cereal, and I sat on the couch with a scowl on my face – in a bathrobe – ready to surrender the entire day to this mood. It was in this moment that I thought, and said out loud “broken bananas”. It made me chuckle a little. I realized that while I had found ways to better control my environment, as well as my outbursts, I had not changed all that much from the toddler mindset. How many of us really have? How many times do we lose our peace or joy over a broken banana?
I thought of another broken banana when I was sweeping yesterday, and my dinner in the oven was ready. I wanted to pull it out before Corbin came in the room and I had to worry about him being near the hot stove. I also wanted to sweep my mess into the dustpan before little kiddie feet spread it back all over the kitchen. Landon happily came over reaching for the broom. “I can help, Mom. I can sweep it in the dustpan.” No!, I snapped as he pulled for the broom. I could see it now, Corbin would be in next, my pile all over, my dinner burned, and surely the world would end. I yanked the broom “NO! YOU NEED TO LISTEN!” He looked at me like..take a chill pill, I was only trying to help. I didn’t mean to snap at him but he was about to break my banana.
I still have emotional temper tantrums everyday. I don’t sprawl out on the floor and cry….necessarily, but I often feel frustrated and unable to explain my disappointment in the moment. I think from now on when the shirt I want to wear is still in the washer, or my favorite show is cancelled for sports, or I forgot to pick up diapers at the store, and I feel spitting mad, I might just say “Oh, broken bananas!” to put it all in perspective.
