The 3 o'clock Meltdown

It seems almost everyday without fail between the hours of 3-4 pm in my house the children go into meltdown mode.

Aiden amps up the whining. Nothing makes him happy, or quiet. He gets louder and more demanding. "I want to watch Kung Fu Panda, it is my FAVORITE!" Nolen also starts whining and crying, for no apparent reason. Maybe he is just jumping on the band wagon.

My theories are that:

• Aiden needs a nap, but if one is taken (we avoid this at all cost) he is up until literally 11 or midnight.
• I am tired, I need a nap. Because of my tiredness I am oversensitive. Perhaps they are not louder and more obnoxious, but I am just experiencing them this way.
• They have had my undivided attention most of the day, and now due to my love of Rachel Ray and Martha Stewart they are inhumanly ignored (at least share some distracted attention) for one hour.

I am working on preemptive strikes for this time of day's unpleasantness. A snack, a sticker book, etc...

But I am not working on it today, because I am tired. And I missed my "mommy time" show, so now I am going to partake in the Cosby show. Lest you think my children are locked in the closet, I will tell you that Aiden and Nolen are sufficiently entertained playing with toys I wanted to get rid of but were spotted hiding in the garage. The old is new again!