The She Devil Hour

Today is going to be one of those days..... you know the ones; you had a really bad night's sleep; the kids have all woken early and are moaning and arguing already and every time they open their mouths it is to demand I get off my bum and get them something. 

I have heard about 'the witching hour' for children; in fact I was interviewed by a national paper about how to deal with that time of the day when the kids are all cranky.  But I am yet to find advice on how to handle a mummy's witching hour. 

At 7am I am already preparing myself for that time this evening when, in a blink I go from caring, loving mummy to a towering 10ft, clothes ripping over my bulging muscles, foaming at the mouth SHE DEVIL.

It is like someone has flicked a switch and nothing can talk me out of it.  I stomp around the house throwing things into the sink / laundry basket counting the minutes till bed time.   I do more than I usually would at this time of night, just to make a point of how busy / tired / at the end of my tether I am.  Of course, I am trying to make a point which totally washes of the heads of my children.  I would throw myself on the floor and flail my hands and legs around if I thought I could get up again without assistance. 

And then I hear them talking to each other in my She Devil language.  They throw things like "I'm not listening to you in that whingey voice" and "When I say NOW, I mean NOW" at each other.  Bearing in mind that not one of them is over the age of 6, it is obvious where they are getting from.

So what can I do to survive and tame the beast that is brewing inside?  I think I will prep the dinner early, have the pyjamas on them by 6pm and set sky to record their favourite programs.

Today is going to be a long, long day where the thought of going out is exhausting but the thought of staying in with bored kids is .... well.... more exhausting (and could raise the devil earlier than expected).  So whilst I prepare my antichrist make up and sew up my clothes from last night, I make a mental note to go and buy some rescue remedy, a couple of mini bottles of gin and lots of chocolate!