This is what my 3 year old son told me today.
We woke up. At 7 a.m. Quite a norm. Washed, got dressed,ate breakfast.He bit a toast with jam three times. Then said -ENOUGH- the word that drives me nuts.
Then I declared we would go to socialise in the local park, meet some friends, have some fun. 'I don't want' he said. The 3 year old stood in the hallway, stubborn. refusing to move. He does it on occasion when he wants to be difficult for some reason.I negotiate with him for a minute or two. No use. He says he is wobbly, which in his language means 'shiverish', which I take just as a sign of his morning tantrum. So I decide not to take any shit, and do what I planned to do: meet another mum with her toddling daughter. I open the door. Get out. With the younger child in the pram. I rattle the keys. Make a stern face. The 3 year old follows reluctantly. I nudge him to step on his buggy board. He cries. I take him by his hand and place it on the pram handle. 'Hold on tight' I say with a forced playfulness. Off to the park. Beautiful sun, some breeze. All perfect, except for the crying, crying, crying. Have had enough. I can feel tension growing up in me, and try to release it by quickening my pace. I start running. When I reach the park I am slightly out of my breath. Some swinging, some playing around, and the three year old starts throwing up, complains of stiff neck and looks as if he is about to faint. I call for an ambulance. A few medical checks later, I Get reassurance that all is OK. 'He seems OK. He just looks a bit fed up. Call us if his condition gets worse'- one of the paramedics says. On our way back home, my son says he is miserable. I ask him why. He tells me that I took him out of the house crying and paid no attention to his shivers.'Mummy, I am sad' he cries. 'I am sorry. Tell me, how I can make you happy. Tell me, what I can do for you' I ask. 'Nothing' he says.'Why' I ask worried. His eyes get teary. 'Mummy, I don't love you'