What I know from Challenge #4

Well, I definitely have triggers, that is for sure.  I was really aware today of what made me feel like getting angry.  When I am doing something and am interrupted, I get annoyed.  When I have had too much social for one day (yep, you introverts know what I'm talking about), I am irritable.  When I am rushing, I am irritable.  When I have a lot to do and the kids want something, anything really, even if it is just really basic things like food, I am irritable.  So, now I will make a plan for how I can reduce those things.  I realized today that the introvert thing is probably the biggest trigger.  If we have been away from home or had a lot of chaos at our house for too long, I snap so easily.  I was able to keep cool today, but inside, I was a raging ball of irritatedness.  Yep, irritatedness.  I think one of the most important things about being a mother, or really a person in general, is knowing yourself.  I am obsessed with knowing about my personality and those of my kids because I think it is so helpful to our relationships.  I am an introvert.  That means I have a limit on my social interaction.  It drains me.  I absolutely love social interaction that I choose, but  I have to go home and recharge...like for a few days sometimes.  Mondays around here are days that we don't do a single thing outside the home.  We turn down invites.  We live without milk.  It is my "cleaning day".  I usually do a lot of cleaning but it is also just my day free of chaos.  I do anything I can to stay home on Mondays because I know that the weekend will have exhausted me socially.  Monday, free day is one way I have tried to relieve some of my craziness inside.  I do much better with time to recharge.  Because I had a lot of social yesterday, I think I will take today to just hang out and play with the kids.  Otherwise, I see a giant blow up happening.  I will also be better at preparing every way I can to not rush.  Sometimes, it's just inevitable, but if I can, I am going to plan ahead so rushing doesn't happen.  As far as the interruptions.  I have decided I shouldn't talk to my kids while I am in the middle of something.  I need to stop the thing, get down to their level and talk to them.  When I try to do both things I just get really annoyed and don't end up giving them clear answers and then they ask again and then I get annoyed that they asked again.  It is a vicious cycle that I really need to put an end to.  So, today, I will try not to multitask so much.  I will be PRESENT with my children.  I will stop vacuuming and see what my child needs.  It isn't that I think they should be in control of everything, cuz, heck, a girl needs to vacuum (especially when she just got a new vacuum and wants to be using it all day), but they deserve to have my attention.  They might have to wait for it, but when I give it to them, it should be all theirs.  I am really bad at saying those easy, generic answers like, "oh, yeah, awesome buddy!" and half the time, I don't even know what he is doing.  I am going to work on stopping that.  I will give my kids my attention.  It will be my gift to them.  It will require lots of practice, but I'm starting today.  What are your triggers?  How can you change?