Angry mom

While reading some of my regular blogs this morning, I saw a post on the Making of MOM about angry moms, and how this is a taboo topic. It really struck a nerve with me today, because I totally lost of cool and became that angry mom last night.

Mikey has been sleeping horribly lately. Waking up lots, refusing to go back to sleep. Throwing tantrums because I won't let him go to the living room to play and watch tv. Last night was another night like this, same as every night this week.

He went to bed a little after 8, just like normal. He woke up screaming at 10. I went, calmed him down and put him back to bed. He woke up again just before 11, as I was going to bed. I should have gone to bed after the first wake up, but I still had laundry to fold, and I wanted a few minutes to relax. So an 11 o'clock wake-up was not appreciated. He was much harder to put down, and threw a tantrum first.

When he does this at night, I put him in his bed, sit on the edge, and wait. While not looking at him. He will calm himself down, and will either go to sleep, or nicely ask for snuggles, which he will get. He was asleep finally just before midnight. So off to bed I stumbled. Only to get up 15 min later, when he was screaming again. The tantrum this time was still going on at 1 am. At which point I lost it, and became the "angry mom".

So I finally got back to bed at about 1:15, and promptly past out from exhaustion. Only to be awoken at 5 am by a little boy standing at my bedside calling Mom, Mom, Mom. A drink, snuggles, and half an hour later, he was back asleep, and so was I. Only to be awoken at 6 for good.

I try not to lose my cool very often. But there is something about middle of the night tantrums that get to me every time. I'm not sure how to manage them better. Any tips?