I hate my son. No, I’m not being rhetorical or metaphorical; I literally hate him. I love him too, but probably not enough to rub out the hate. Here’s why…
Have you ever, as a mum or dad, dedicated your life, hope and dreams to a child’s development and wellbeing? Ever spent sleepless nights thinking the worst, wiping your tears away and getting up to check on said sprog, just in case they stopped breathing in their sleep? Well, I have. I am the tiger mom, the infernal nuisance at schools for all teachers and teaching assistants – I am the complainer that worries whether he received his coat on time for breaktime, his forgotten lunch box before lunch or his meds if he’s had to go back to school before I think he’s well enough. I’m your worst nightmare as an educator. At least, I was. I have changed as my sprog has gotten older. I’ve lost my sense of purpose, my fight, my passion.
Instead, I’ve been introduced to my worst nightmare, a creation of my own volition: a free thinking individual who has the intelligence to question me and my morals and call my up for my shortcomings. I have a person who refuses to be dominated by others, who does not buckle under peer pressure and who assumes authority in the household – my household – anytime I’m not around to rule the roost. I hate him!
He is the epitomy of everything I am not; he has the capability to stay true to his course when I flail about, thinking I should give up. He shows strengths in my weaknesses and makes me feel incompetent in my education. In other words, I feel dumb around him. Yet, I created this wonderful monster.
So, what do I do?
Is it a case of inflating his ego further and telling him I am proud of his existence? Or do I belittle every little fault I find, exploding at every mistake made and celebrating every time he doesn’t reach a goal? What would you do with something like this living in your house, eating your food and making you feel inadequate?
Anyone else here hear my ego taking a beating?
Well, I do what I assume every other mom does, I just give up! I take a step back and let him lead when he needs to. Right now, he is standing over my two other sprogs, perfecting their piano pieces so that they don’t embarrass us (the family) at their next piano lesson. He walks into the kitchen and mutters a belittling remark about the curry I’ve cooked because he doesn’t like curry anymore. His personal beliefs refute the fact that he is part Goan. In his mind, he is British.
I ignore the remark and think of how he is helping the other sprogs, what an inspiration he is getting all A’s and finding maths easy at A level, unlike me. But, as a parent, I can’t ignore the snarky remarks that make my older daughter cry, the continuous abuse of power because he is the eldest, the strongest and the most likely to outhink all of us who are too tired to fight. I think of the days when he disappears into his cave (bedroom) and refuses to eat family meals. And I hate him.
As a mother, it is hard to admit that the child who makes you feel the most is the one that hurts you the most. I’m hoping, no I’m praying that, in the future, he will return to the sweet little boy I protected and nurtured many years ago.
But, am I hoping for the right thing? Am I actually celebrating the fact that my child does not do drugs, has a good sense of what’s right and wrong, and abuses it at home, but is there for us when we need him. Am I hating him for all the wrong reasons?
What do you think?
Hate is a very strong word and I honestly don’t think you mean it at all. Kids grow up, not always into the human beings you expected them to be. Life will beat him down eventually, so just let him learn his lessons the hard way.
Good luck x
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Thank you. After a two hour argument on left wing and right wing beliefs, throwing in communism versus anarchy, I’m exhausted! A typical Sunday afternoon discussion with him.
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The best advice I can give you is to stop giving him attention. Let him feel like you don’t care about his attitude.
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I’ll try that, thank you. 😀 Feeling my sanity return!
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Thinking back, I had such an offspring. All I can say is she’s turned into one of the kindest, most caring and sensible adult who now sometimes says,’ I don’t know how you put up with me’ and ‘how did you cope?’ Actually, I didn’t I ranted and raved and did all the wrong things. Be kind to yourself, Eloise… it passes. Oh, and smile broadly whenever he undermines you. It works, I’ve since found out… completely flummoxes them. LOL.
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Lol! Thank you for that. I live in hope. xxx
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omg you sound like my mum writing about me because I know (now) she felt that way about what I became. The sadness of it was that she showed me that hatred, and it turned our relationship cold…and she kept it up…and I wanted her old loving ways back and never got them before she died, and that’s how I remember her, cold, and I’m jealous of those whose mums keep a loving, always caring, way about them. He’ll come around Eloise, either by himself or maybe you’ll have to Talk it out of him, but remember that he has a perspective too. 🙂
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I will. Thanks Wally. It’s good to get the perspective of a son. I’ll work on keeping up the conversations and hugs without the pure annoyance and hate lol!
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Sounds like you’ve got the balance about right, to me.
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Thank you! Sometimes I do lose sight of the finish line, then remember there is none!
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