Calm Down?

thCalm down he says
As if stress has a fucking switch
A week of screaming
Battling child and adult
The help promised did not come
Until I was already near pain’s door
Stress building up
Like soap scum on the rim

Calm down he says
In a tone I know too well
My pain is my fault
Because I am never calm
Self-induced destruction
With no sympathy
From those that never help
Until I’m crying out in pain

Calm down he says
While my insides twist
Never giving me a day
To wash the stress away
Only giving me an hour
To scramble at my work
Driving my stress higher
While the pain beast grows in strength

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About Charles Yallowitz

Charles E. Yallowitz was born, raised, and educated in New York. Then he spent a few years in Florida, realized his fear of alligators, and moved back to the Empire State. When he isn't working hard on his epic fantasy stories, Charles can be found cooking or going on whatever adventure his son has planned for the day. 'Legends of Windemere' is his first series, but it certainly won't be his last.
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42 Responses to Calm Down?

  1. Patti Singleton's avatar Patti Hall says:

    Charles,
    I’m not sure what to say…pain & stress…damn! Sending good thoughts & vibes & all your way? I’m sure the others will be here soon to help and to say the right thing:>)

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  2. kingmidget's avatar kingmidget says:

    I feel your frustration.

    Like

  3. MishaBurnett's avatar MishaBurnett says:

    Children cause a particular kind of stress because you have to remain vigilant all the time and because you can’t emotionally distance yourself from the cause of the anxiety. It’s been a long time since mine were small, but I remember how it builds over time. I wish I could help.

    Like

    • Thanks. The toddler is surprisingly self-reliant with a room full of toys, so I don’t have to be as vigilante as I used to be. Though, we started potty training this week and that’s not doing me any wonders. Starting to wonder why people fight this so much. He’s just going to end up back in diapers when he’s a senior citizen.

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      • MishaBurnett's avatar MishaBurnett says:

        Potty training. That brings back some memories…

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      • With what’s happened so far, I’m going to assume shudders came with those memories.

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      • MishaBurnett's avatar MishaBurnett says:

        Actually, with mine there was a clear shift when the child suddenly wanted to be a “big kid” and then it was their own choice–I think a lot of the problems parents have is from expecting too much, too soon.

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      • I fully agree with that. My son is comfortable in diapers, so we switched him to underwear. Now he makes messes and is uncomfortable, so he’s learning. One of the adults involved started this adventure off by screaming at him for peeing on the carpet. The little guy had been in the underwear for less than an hour. I’m pretty sure we didn’t buy a pair that magically made him understand what was going on. Really the main difficulty is getting him to understand that he has to let us know when he has to go. Once that’s done, the rest will be easy.

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  4. Hilarious photo to balance out the frustration and angst that a few simple words spoken can bring. Calm down? Nope. I’m going to let my emotions out however I please, not bottle it up inside.

    Also, sorry to hear about the potty training fiasco.

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    • It could always be worse. He doesn’t fight going that often.

      Funny how people seem to think emotions and stress are easily tossed away.

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      • Hopefully he’ll get used to it soon. Everything takes practice and some fight change, no matter how little their bodies are 😉

        I think those people need a lesson in empathy, or they don’t know how to channel their own feelings.

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      • I think it’s more that they don’t like the fact that me being sick or out of action means they have to do more. I should apologize for my agony being an inconvenience to them. I’m such a rude jerk.

        My son only needs to learn how to tell us when he has to go. That’s the hardest part.

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  5. Marie A Bailey's avatar 1WriteWay says:

    Sounds like you’re dealing with two children, not one.

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  6. Hells Bells, I can see why your pain ratchets up. Nothing escalates stress and pandemonium more with attitudes like that beating at you.

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    • My favorite is when I’m no longer in extreme pain and everyone goes off like ‘crisis averted’. Then they let everything happen again without lending me a hand. I’ve already voiced my opinion that I’m pissed at the people that are sources of stress, but they’re trying to blame everything else.

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  7. L. Marie's avatar L. Marie says:

    I hear you! I hate to be told to calm down as if that person would behave any differently. It’s hard to be under stress and receive no help.

    Like

  8. JS Riddle's avatar JS Riddle says:

    There are the other phrases “It’d be fine” “Just get over it” “You’re overreacting” Sound familiar. That’s when you tell them to shut the f**k up 😀 and dance in your tutu carrying a squirrel in each arm, cupcake in mouth, and a siphon of my infused vodka in one of those funny beer hats

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  9. spoplawski's avatar spoplawski says:

    Censoring and worrying about very own future doesn’t work well together. Good luck.

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    • spoplawski's avatar spoplawski says:

      It was censored today:
      August 15, 2013 at 10:20 am
      It is not worrying quality of your posts, but their number that … .

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  10. One week to go, hang in there you can make it, then hopefully there will be some relief.

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  11. It’s very hard – if not impossible – to calm down when you are in pain, and particularly if you don’t know the full reasons for it and whether that is anything else to worry about…try to shut out other people’s demands on you if you can (I know you can’t re your child, but the adults can go sort themselves out I would think!!) Focus on the success you are having, focus on the good, and all your friends cheering you on. 🙂 🙂 But don’t try to calm down, trying that always has the opposite effect!!!

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