When not to Laugh - Attitude
“No, you cannot have ice cream.” I tell my son sternly. “Please?!!!” he asks again for the tenth time. “N.O. spells no.” I reply in a singsong voice. “N.O. spells YES!” My child throws back at me. Amused, I smile and assure him that when I say, ”No,” I mean it. His face shows rejection as he says, "Mommy, you hurt me." I reply “Oh really? Where?” thinking for a second, he points to his head and says, "You hurt my brain." Folding his arms in defiance, tears start streaming down his face. “I decided that you are not my mom anymore!” he declares harshly. Before I can stop it, a small “Fttttts” sounds bursts from my mouth. It's the sound I make when I know I shouldn't laugh because his feelings are valid, but, he is so incredibly cute being mad that I just cannot hold my laugh inside. His face contorts into, what he thinks, is a face of pure intimidation. “Well, well, well….well, you are so mean!” He shouts and stomps away.
I know his anger will not be cute when he gets older so I push my smile away and go to fetch my child for disciplinary action. It amazes me how intelligent my son can be when he is mad. He thinks his words through in order to find the phrase that will hurt me like a knife. If his face were not so adorable and his hair wasn't so puffy, his words would cut deep. “Don't talk to me like that, I am your mother!” I say with my eyebrows together angrily. My little boy faces me and sasses, “Well prove it!” He turns on his heels and stomps off to the backyard. Despite of the situation, I grin and shake my head. I guess he has a point, I can't really prove that I am his mother because he wouldn't really understand a DNA test right now. I rush to talk to my frustrated boy. “Come here baby” I call to him. He hears me and yells “I'm not talking to you anymore!” and runs further away. With my smile fully gone I fetch my child while threatening “Excuse me! If you can't be nice then you need to go to your room.” My son lets off a furious “GrrrrrrrrrdRRRRah! I roll my eyes and help him to his room to calm down.
Once his fit has run its course, I enter the room to talk to him. “Tell me about your bad day.” I encourage. He looks at me with pathetic eyes. “Everybody hates me and thinks I'm a bad kid.” He explains to me with swelling eyes. “Why do you think that?” I urge him to explore his feelings. He hangs his head and says, “Everyone always laughs at me.” Guilt bubbles inside of my heart. I pull the crying child tight into my arms. “You are just too adorable! I love you so much that I can't help but smile and laugh.” My boy wiggles out of my arms and says, “Are you kidding me? I'm not adorable, I'm just mad.” I nod my head. “I understand,” I say “I'm sorry that I laughed at you when you were mad.” We talk long about anger, respect, and laughing. By the time we are done talking, my son has reclaimed me as his mother, and I'm not the only one laughing. We are both giggling and hugging each other. Now is a perfect time to laugh.
I know his anger will not be cute when he gets older so I push my smile away and go to fetch my child for disciplinary action. It amazes me how intelligent my son can be when he is mad. He thinks his words through in order to find the phrase that will hurt me like a knife. If his face were not so adorable and his hair wasn't so puffy, his words would cut deep. “Don't talk to me like that, I am your mother!” I say with my eyebrows together angrily. My little boy faces me and sasses, “Well prove it!” He turns on his heels and stomps off to the backyard. Despite of the situation, I grin and shake my head. I guess he has a point, I can't really prove that I am his mother because he wouldn't really understand a DNA test right now. I rush to talk to my frustrated boy. “Come here baby” I call to him. He hears me and yells “I'm not talking to you anymore!” and runs further away. With my smile fully gone I fetch my child while threatening “Excuse me! If you can't be nice then you need to go to your room.” My son lets off a furious “GrrrrrrrrrdRRRRah! I roll my eyes and help him to his room to calm down.
Once his fit has run its course, I enter the room to talk to him. “Tell me about your bad day.” I encourage. He looks at me with pathetic eyes. “Everybody hates me and thinks I'm a bad kid.” He explains to me with swelling eyes. “Why do you think that?” I urge him to explore his feelings. He hangs his head and says, “Everyone always laughs at me.” Guilt bubbles inside of my heart. I pull the crying child tight into my arms. “You are just too adorable! I love you so much that I can't help but smile and laugh.” My boy wiggles out of my arms and says, “Are you kidding me? I'm not adorable, I'm just mad.” I nod my head. “I understand,” I say “I'm sorry that I laughed at you when you were mad.” We talk long about anger, respect, and laughing. By the time we are done talking, my son has reclaimed me as his mother, and I'm not the only one laughing. We are both giggling and hugging each other. Now is a perfect time to laugh.
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