【🧸Parenting Essay】Reipon's "Illustrated Guide to Big Pinches"

Hello, I'm Reipon.

I'm a stay-at-home mom who is fully committed to my 3-year-old son, who is currently at the peak of his 'terrible twos' (or threes!).
I usually write articles focusing on parenting essays📝

I sometimes mess around with my titles, but I write about my daily parenting life quite seriously.

I have written 15 parenting essays so far.

I write quite pretentiously about how I face my son, but in reality, every day is a series of troubles💦

Especially with my child,who entered the 'terrible phase' after turning 3.

Crying, screaming, throwing tantrums💨

My mornings are a repeat of 'pinches'.
If I make even the slightest mistake in how I handle things, another 'pinch' comes my way.

'I'm the one who wants to scream!😭'
'I'm the one who wants to throw a tantrum!'

I swallow the words that come right up to my lips and somehow manage to soothe him with a smile.

Spending every day like this,sometimes I want to show the side of parenting that isn't so serious.
What should I do?🤔

So this time,
I decided to compile a series of pinches from one particular day in the style of a picture book.

Titled,

"Reipon's Illustrated Guide to Big Pinches"

The inspiration is, of course, that popular picture book "Illustrated Guide to Big Pinches."
Here is the latest work👇

Setting aside who this might be useful for, please let me write it. All these pinches.
Unexpectedly, it has become a major work of nearly 4,000 characters.

If you can just laugh it off, then I am happy☺️

🥛"Reipon's Illustrated Guide to Big Pinches"

Being a mom is a series of 'pinches'.
If you handle them wrong, more pinches will come.

This guide expresses the various big pinches of a 3-year-old's mom, 'Reipon',
using 'Big Pinch Level' and a 'Mom's Energy and Stamina Meter',
and introduces the many pinches that start from the morning.

I hope you, too, will gently open this when you feel exhausted by parenting,
have a little laugh, and feel better.

Woke up screaming from the morning

Big Pinch Level: 20
Mom's Energy and Stamina Meter: 85%

A refreshing morning that begins with the roar of 'Mom! Where are you!'
If I make a mistake here, it'll be a disaster. I'll rush over with a smile and give a gentle hug.

Full-force rejection of the hug

Big Pinch Level: 27
Mom's Energy and Stamina Meter: 77%

Even though he's screaming 'Mom!', he's rejecting the hug with all his might (his eyes aren't even open).
Yeah. Some days are just like that. For now, I'll just wait for him to wake up. That's the right answer!

Running out of time early on

Big Pinch Level: 39
Mom's Energy and Stamina Meter: 70%

Before I knew it, time had flown by.
If he doesn't get up soon, he'll be late for kindergarten... In times like this, I'll say this:
'Breakfast has sausages, you know.'

Definitely want to be 'carried' on the stairs

Big Pinch Level: 31
Mom's Energy and Stamina Meter: 68%

It's important for a mom in her 40s to conserve energy, but this is the time to push through.
I might even pretend to stumble a bit, saying 'Whoops.'
My son starts laughing happily and is in a good mood. Phew, what a relief.

Bumping his head on the wall and crying his eyes out

Big Pinch Level: 50
Mom's Energy and Stamina Meter: 52%

I got carried away, and I actually stumbled, causing my son to bump his head.
I apologize desperately, saying 'I'm so sorry,' and hug him. Hmm, he won't stop crying.
I'll quietly offer him the breakfast with the sausages.

Not this! he says, throwing the bread

Big Pinch Level: 60
Mom's Energy and Stamina Meter: 50%

If I offer bread, he's not in the mood for bread; if I offer rice, he's not in the mood for rice.
While scolding him for throwing food, I'll check what he actually wants to eat.

There are no bananas

Big Pinch Level: 70
Mom's Energy and Stamina Meter: 30%

A terrible mistake! I forgot to buy bananas!
I tell him, 'I'm sorry, I didn't buy any,' but he insists, 'You have them! You have them!' I'll just add a sausage to the menu to get through this.

Won't make it in time for the school bus

Big Pinch Level: 75
Mom's energy and stamina meter: 27%

At this rate, we won't make the bus! I cancel the bus on the kindergarten app.
I'll tell my son with a smile, 'Mommy will take you to kindergarten today!♡'

Need to go to the bathroom right before leaving

Big Pinch Level: 80
Mom's energy and stamina meter: 20%

The classic 'I need to poop' while putting on socks in the entryway.
No matter how I try to handle it, this formidable enemy 💩 always appears. I couldn't avoid it today either.

Wants to wear rain boots even though it's sunny
Wants to wear mismatched socks

Big Pinch Level: 85
Mom's energy and stamina meter: 15%

It seems like one of these two urges is bound to happen.
I'll just accept it silently. Today's socks: a whale on the left, Pikmin on the right.

Refuses to get on the bicycle

Big Pinch Level: 90
Mom's energy and stamina meter: 8%

'I don't wanna go!' 'I wanna walk!' he cries and stomps his feet.
I reply, 'I see. Let's walk next time,' while having no choice but to force him on.

Doesn't like the route we're taking

Big Pinch Level: 91
Mom's energy and stamina meter: 7%

The shout of 'This isn't the way!' echoes from the back of the bike.
I'll pretend not to hear it for a while.
Then, it's a miracle. It quickly changes to a voice saying, 'Look, a train!♪'

Forgot the hand towel

Big Pinch Level: 100
Mom's energy and stamina meter: 3%

I notice the forgotten item after arriving at kindergarten. The damage from this is surprisingly huge.
I feel terrible for my son and the kindergarten, but I'll just have to apologize profusely to the teacher and borrow one.

I managed to drop him off at kindergarten just in time and finally caught a break at home.
But there's cleaning, laundry, and dishes. There's so much to do.
Before I knew it, it was almost noon, and I had to make lunch for my husband and myself.
A brief moment of rest after lunch.

The Big Pinch level resets here for now.
Mom's energy and stamina meter has recovered to 60%.

Getting off the bus and immediately saying 'Carry me'

Big Pinch level: 2
Mom's energy and stamina meter: 60%

Without even saying 'I'm home,' he hands me his bags and brazenly says 'Carry me.'
I know he's been working hard. I carry my son along with all his bags.

Wanting to stop by the convenience store
Wanting to take home small stones

Big Pinch level: 5
Mom's energy and stamina meter: 57%

Making a huge fuss about wanting juice or snacks. If he spots a pebble on the side of the road, he screams, 'Pick that up for me!'
Since I'm carrying him, I hold him tight.
I'll just say, 'We have plenty of those at home,' or 'Maybe tomorrow,' and walk past quickly.

The endless, 'Mom, play with me!'

Big Pinch level: 70
Mom's energy and stamina meter: 20%

Playing tag, playing in the park. Ania, building blocks, Plarail.
I play wholeheartedly while absorbing his frequent outbursts of 'That's not it!' or 'Mom, over here!' Even preparing dinner means running back and forth between the kitchen and my son.

Dinner is 'I don't want to eat it'

Big Pinch level: 75
Mom's energy and stamina meter: 18%

He's still so eager to play that he flatly refuses dinner.
Time for my trump card: 'Summon Husband!' I'll have him play with him for just 10 minutes.

Wanting to eat dessert (fruit) first

Big Pinch level: 77
Mom's energy and stamina meter: 17%

Just when I think it's finally time to eat, he nibbles on only his favorites and demands dessert, saying 'I want fruit.'
Here, I offer him 'Just half first.' That should get him to eat the rest of his meal.

Won't eat vegetables

Big Pinch level: 85
Mom's energy and stamina meter: 14%

I try boiling them, roasting them, and all sorts of tricks to get him to eat vegetables, but
no matter how hard I try, he won't eat them.
The only things he eats, carrots and corn, are staples on our dinner table.

Doesn't want to take a bath with Mom

Big Pinch Level: 90
Mom's Energy and Stamina Meter: 10%

I don't want to take a bath with Mom!
It's a real struggle when my husband is away. I suggest all sorts of 'bath games,' but everything gets rejected. In the end, I have to force a hug to get him to the bathroom.
(Sometimes I even bribe him with juice...)

I hate soaking in the bath

Big Pinch Level: 95
Mom's Energy and Stamina Meter: 5%

I hate soaking in the bath! If I try to pick him up, he thrashes around, which is dangerous.
I try not to push it too hard here, and I keep trying while watching his mood.
As a result, it's not rare for us to finish without him ever soaking.

I don't want to get out of the bath!

Big Pinch Level: 100
Mom's Energy and Stamina Meter: 0%

Why does he refuse to get out when he hated getting in so much?
Bedtime is approaching, so honestly, I want him out quickly.
Suppressing those feelings, I keep repeating, 'We'll get out in five more minutes.'

Dashing to the living room soaking wet

Big Pinch Level: 100
Mom's Energy and Stamina Meter: -10%

He hates having his hair dried! The hallway and living room are soaking wet. My son is grinning in the corner of the living room.
Still, it's better than him being in a bad mood. I give up and towel-dry him while we play tag.

[Different Pattern]
Baths with Dad take about 45 minutes

Big Pinch Level: 100
Mom's Energy and Stamina Meter: 0%

I'm grateful that he gives him a bath, but why does it take so long when Dad does it?
Bedtime is getting closer, and I'm getting more and more irritated.

Mom is requested for bedtime story time

Big Pinch Level: 100
Mom's Energy and Stamina Meter: -15%

Reading picture books is Mom's job. He asks for his favorite books to be read over and over.
I doze off while reading... and often lose track of where I was reading.

He can't sleep unless Mom is by his side

Big Pinch Level: Way past 100
Mom's Energy and Stamina Meter: -23%

I want to ask Dad to put him to bed so I can take a relaxing bath.
That feeling doesn't get through, and putting him to bed is also Mom's job.
Ah, I can't take it anymore. Goodnight...

10:00 PM, still full of energy.

Big Pinch Level: 120
Mom's mental and physical energy meter: -33%

Trying to put the child to sleep while dozing off myself. Before I knew it, it was already 10:00 PM.
I want them to sleep early and get a good night's rest.
My wishes as a mom are completely ignored by my wide-eyed 3-year-old.

That was my day today.

The end.

How was it?
Were there any "big pinches" that made you think, "That's us too!"?

Every day as a mom is a "series of endurance," isn't it?
But if I were to explain all of that in writing, it would be exhausting for both the writer and the reader.

That's exactly why I tried to organize it in a way that we can both enjoy.

I'd be happy if there's even one thing here that makes you think, "I totally get that!" ☺️

Thank you for reading until the end ♡
It would encourage me if you could like or follow.

Please come back and read again 🌟
See you later 🙌

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