A letter to my child today
Dear Child,
Today you called me the meanest mom in the whole world. I’m sorry to inform you that your words did not have the intended effect. I’m neither hurt, nor inclined to repent of my ways. You see, I’ve heard those words from you and your siblings often enough that all the sting has gone out of them. If I truly were a mean mother, you would not dare to speak such words directly to me. You have no idea what “mean” really looks like and I intend to keep it that way.
It would be so much easier to just give you what you want, to let you play all night, or supply you with endless piles of treats. You believe that if I were to do so, you would be happy. I have lived longer than you, and I know that buying short term happiness this way is a certain path to long term grief for us both. I must teach you lessons about temperance and self control while you are small. Later teachers of these lessons are much harsher than I am. So I choose the harder path, the “mean” path, because I love you enough to work for your long term good even if it crosses your current desires.
I know my choices make no sense to you now. Your mind is not yet developed enough to plan as far ahead or see as complexly as I can. I am not surprised that you assess my current actions as “mean.” I can only hope that as you grow and mature, you will judge my actions more kindly. In fact I have evidence that you will. Later in the day you informed me that I was your “most perfectest mom ever.” I’m afraid that pronouncement is not accurate either, but I’ll not argue with a lovely compliment.
I love you and somehow I suspect we’ll muddle through together.
Love,
Mom