My Reaction

My son learned a 4 letter word. A word that we don't use in our house because, as parents, we set the example. A word that I have been dreading. A word that I have been preparing for, trying to decide what my reaction should be. He learned the word HATE.

Yesterday, Bear was having a time-out from his sister's ride-on fire truck because he was being too rough with it, using it to bump into his sister, etc. After his time out, I told him his sister was having a turn on it, and he couldn't have it back until after her turn. Perhaps the consequence was more severe than it should have been for the infraction (because in my mind this was strike number3, and in his mind, the last infraction wasn't as bad as the first 2). He threw a fit. When I tried to talk to him, he told me, "Mommy, I hate you." And when all he got was stunned silence, he looked me in the eye and repeated it again, slowly and deliberately.

This is it. The moment I have dreaded/planned for/hoped would never come. What will my reaction be? Do I get angry? Sad? And then...I just laughed. He was surprised and almost laughed himself...but then he remembered that he was mad at me. Frowny face returned.

"I don't believe you." I said in my 'you're silly' voice. "Because I love you so much!" And then I gave him a hug. There were a few more minutes of tantrum after that because he still wasn't getting what he wanted, but I am pleased with my reaction. I was able to laugh it off, diffuse the situation instead of escalating it, and reassure my son that I loved him. And hopefully he will not permanently add "I hate you" to his list of things he does or says when he's mad.