the threenager

recently things have gotten a lot more intense. the tantrums are at a whole new level. the simple things like yes the grass is green with a reply of "NO IT IS NOT! IT HAS A TINY BIT OF YELLOW IN IT!!!". the volume button has been cranked. the alligator tears are out. there are now words they're not allowed to say. not that they weren't allowed to say these words before but now they say them and all the time. it doesn't matter what gets taken away, how many cuddles or given or how long of a time is spent in time out. nope we are at a whole new level of irrational. I mean of course the cute is cuter and the smart is smarter. the kind is kinder, lovelier and sweeter. He's learnt how to officially declare opposites. "I love you Wyatt." "I do not love you Momma". "You are smart buddy" "No I am not smart" and the list goes on.

You know that lesson we all learnt in kindergarten or grade one about prickelies and warm fuzzies? I think it was a 7-1 ratio. If you had one prickelie it took 7 warm fuzzies to erase it. The lesson comes up again as we get older about bullying and self image. Basically the long short of the story is that for everything said to someone that hurts their feelings it takes a lot to make that hurt lessen.

Parenthood is no exception. We know that what we say to our kids shape and form them. We do our best to soak it all in. You are smart. You are kind. You are special. You are funny. You are important. You are loved. You are creative. You are so awesome...etc. When you hear your kids saying mean things to themselves or each other it's heart breaking. And when the "I don't love you. Leave me alone. You don't love me and I'm a bad boy" come out it's more than heart breaking. It leaves us a bit dumbfounded. I know this is a stage. I know we are entering a new emotional milestone etc but if my heart could feel differently that would help.

those who love you the most can hurt you the most. it's amazing and terrifying all at the same time.

KK

PS. Dear Threenager,
Lets take a break from the insanity for a little while.
I love you and I know you love me too.
Momma