Mother Crime
I am a terrible, awful parent.
Lily was brushing her hair in the car on the way to school. That’s not The Crime, though it might sound like one. No, what happened after that was that Georgia thought Lily was brushing too slowly, so she grabbed the brush and started trying to brush it for her.
We pulled in to the carpark and I yelled. That’s the first part of The Crime.
“Are you brushing her hair for her?” I yelled.
“Yes.”
“Are you serious?” I yelled.
“Yes.”
“Let her brush her own hair. Stop being so bossy!” I yelled.
She said nothing. And so came the second part of The Crime.
“Other kids won’t like it if you’re bossy!” I yelled.
The air temperature dropped as her little heart broke.
“Kids at school already don’t like me.”
Oh no.
I got out of the car and pulled her from her seat.
“Of course they do.”
“They don’t. They run away when I walk towards them.”
“I’m sure they don’t do it on purpose.”
“They do. They hate me.”
I realised that was all I had.
“I think you’re wonderful,” I said.
“Then why did you yell at me?”
Oh.
I am a terrible, awful parent.
Christine
April 19, 2012 at 3:58 pmI yelled at my son a few months ago and it was so silly, I don’t even remember what for and I felt just like that. Still kills me when I think of it, but I know it doesn’t make me anything like an “awful/terrible” parent. Just human.
Anna
April 19, 2012 at 5:16 pmI know it does, but lordy it feels bad at the time, doesn’t it?
Kelly Exeter
April 19, 2012 at 4:14 pmOh :(
HUGS
I had no friends in primary school – but it was nothing to do with my parents and everything to do with me :)
Anna
April 19, 2012 at 5:17 pmMe too! I wonder if that makes us better or worse friends as adults.