Why yes, please, my dear 2-year-old, go right ahead and play demolition derby with grandma’s glass figurines on that solid marble countertop. It’s so much better than watching you have an epic meltdown because of my concern for your safety.
When was the last time that choice was a viable option for a parent?
You know that what you do for your children is for their own good. Unfortunately, most kids could care less about the rules of parenthood. In fact, the vast majority of what you do to ensure their well being makes absolutely no sense to them.
And they will let you know this in no uncertain terms.
Having your flesh and blood spit out an impassioned: “I HATE YOU!” is always jarring, especially when she’s three and can’t even cross the street on her own.
Give it a decade or so and you may get used to it… or not.
No parent wants to be disliked by the person he or she has invested so much time, energy and pure, unadulterated love raising.
But, here’s the thing about hearing your kid voice her displeasure with you—at least you know you are doing the right thing. Think about it; to get your child to not hate you in that moment you’d have to give into her demands. That may be great for the time being, but down the road she’s just going to unleash those three venomous words again because it has yielded positive results in the past.
The next time you feel the sting of an, “I HATE YOU!” keep calm. Don’t let it mess with your mind, manipulate your feelings or cause you needless guilt.
After all, there’s sure to be times when the feeling of dislike is mutual, but you get over it… don’t you? Don’t you?