Last night Boston slapped me. He’s been known to hit things (his parents, other children, the dog, pillows…) randomly with a smile on his face because he’s still learning that hitting isn’t how we show love (I mean, he’s only a toddler), but last night the hard slap across my face shocked me. He froze as I just stared at him. All I could think to say was, “Boston, why did you hit me? That…that hurt my feelings!”
Maybe it was hormones or my feelings really were hurt, but I couldn’t stop the tears from coming. And you know what happened? Boston’s lip quivered, his eyes squinted up and he started crying with me. For five minutes we cried together on the living room couch. Then he gave me a hug and slid to the floor on his happy way like nothing happened. But something did happen. My 18-month-old son acknowledged and reacted to an internal feeling of sorrow because of something he’d done.
Wow! That was a powerful experience the two of you shared! You ARE an amazing Mom!
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