I jus don't know how to parent DS2 (5).
I have 2 DC. DS1 (7) is what many would describe as harder to parent - he's 'spirited' high energy, talks non stop and probably would meet criteria for ADHD. DS2 is chilled, relaxed, quiet and slow about everything . He is cautious. He's what most would see as easy to parent I expect.
In a race DS1 would take off at top speed as soon as the gun is fired and go full pelt til he crashes just before the finish and has to crawl the last bit. DS2 would still be hanging around at the start long after the gun gets fired, planning the route, thinking about the race etc... When he started the race eventually, he'd go at even pace, and they'd probably cross the line together.
Thing is, I just dont get DS2. I'm more like DS1, so though most people would find him harder, I find him easy to parent. I totally get him.
Yesterday we went to swimming. DS1 was straight in. He's an excellent swimmer, already competitive level. DS2 had a class in the next lane and wouldn't get in. He caused a massive fuss. He'd been asking for lessons for ages. He has been going elsewhere for a year but wanted to add another lesson. I'd reused for ages for fear of something like this, but he did crash course in the summer, swam all holiday, so agreed and I signed him up and paid a fortune and then he refused to go.
Today he's refused gymnastics. Again - he's been to 2 trials, and a class last week, and loved it. I wouldn't have signed him up otherwise. He promised he'd go this morning after the swimming fiasco yesterday. But here we are, DS1 is running around enjoying his class. dS2 is sitting having a sulk.
I just have no patience left :( I have no idea how to parent him. I was really angry this morning and feel all the other parents are judging me as a bad mum.
I hate being so crap at parenting him. He's a lovely lovely boy, and I love him to infinity. But I don't get him and this is really bothering me. We bonded really well on holiday and I thought I'd crackd it, but here we are with me really struggling again with knowing how to handle him
:(