I try to be reasonable, I really do. But sometimes being on the receiving end of such unbridled loathing, such bald faced vitriol can really start to wear you down.
I know he’s only a year old but sometimes the intensity of emotion is hard to take. If a grown adult directed such rage at another individual, people would be shocked and troubled by the behaviour. Instead he’s a child, so we put it down to the terrible twos. By the by, he’s one.
I try to put a positive spin on his passionate responses (rage-bouts) because deep down I know where he gets it. From me. I’m a total brat and no stranger to stroppy outbursts as The Man can attest to. This is why I try to be as understanding as possible. And also for every rage-bout there’s hundreds of hugs and leg cuddles and sticky kisses and pure unadulterated cute.
10 times my son hated me so far today (it’s 10 am)
When I opened the blinds in his room…
This is reasonable. I hated The Man when he did similar to me just a few minutes before this.
When I took his nappy off…
Totally get this one, everyone enjoys something moist and warm encasing their nether regions…don’t they?
When HE put his toy car out of reach on the window sill…
ENTIRELY my fault.
When I returned the toy car to him…
I know, how could I DO such a thing???
When I prevented him from eating soap…
Bitch, just a total bitch.
When HE peed on MY bed…
I put the nappy back on at this point – another totally out of order move.
When I gently suggested that banana skin was not a delicious breakfast option…
He proceeded to eat it in defiance. He is SO my child.
When I hurt MY toe…
I tried reason, “This one’s not even about you!” to no avail.
When I tried to prevent him from injury (or worse) by merely holding his hand when crossing the road.
This prompted the ‘lie down in the road and refuse to budge’ move. I actually admire his complete dedication to his rage. It never seems to wear him out; it’s possible he even derives strength from the tantrums.
When I stole a kiss from him when he was restrained in his travel seat.
He was seething. But I sense he loves me on some level as the final instance of pure loathing from this morning was when I left him to go to work…. *heart breaking*
