Lynda Loveland: The 'H' word

My, oh my, how quickly the love from Mother’s Day dissipates.

My kids are all very affectionate and loving. But when punishment for misbehavior is forthcoming, they lose that lovin’ feelin’.

My son got in trouble the other day. I sent him to his room for the rest of the night. That meant no riding his bike, no playing soccer with his friends and certainly no TV. Needless to say, he wasn’t happy. Too bad, so sad. Then he dropped the “h” bomb on me. “I hate you!”

It was a parenting first that I never planned on. I was shocked! It felt like a dull, ragged-edged knife coated with acid had been plunged into my heart!

How could he say that to me? All the things I’d done for him. All the soccer games/practices I’d taken him to. Disney, for crying out loud! Not to mention all the crying from that horrible colic he had for the first six months! All the love and nurturing and that’s what I get! I know he didn’t mean it, but it broke my heart!

A short while later, he calls for me, sounding pretty pitiful. He was crying. He said he was very sorry for saying he hated me. He didn’t mean it and he loved me very much. I was glad he apologized, but dang, that hurt! I don’t remember reading a chapter about this in What to Expect When You’re Expecting!