A great story DollyDot. I would imagine as a school teacher you would have some corkers to tell.
My six year old son[his in his early thirties now]was sent to his room without his favorite dessert, for making a particularly rude comment about his sister at the dinner table. A while later, I went to his room to say goodnight and found a rather disgruntled boy sitting on the side of his bed, obviously still reeling from his punishment. Seeking to set things right, I sat and chatted to him about the does and do'nts of his behaviour and how as a parent it was my role to point out such things, in the hope this would make him a better person. I then said "is there anything you would like to say"[thinking I was going to get an apology for his behaviour]. After taking a moment he replied " well I would like to tell you, Mum, that tonight I am so angry with you, that right now I think I hate you". Well, did this comment sit me back! It took everything in me to keep my cool. So, after thinking about his reply, I told him that anger was a normal thing to feel and that we all at some time in our lives have been angry with our loved ones and that even though we think we hate them we usually forgave them in due course. Then I told him I was disappointed that he felt that way towards me, but to show him I understood I shared a story from his fathers childhood.
When Ron was a small boy, he'd had a run in with his Mother and was sent for some time out to the laundry. His way of venting his anger was to scratch "mum is a pig" into the back of the laundry door, an artwork which remained till after her demise many years later. Now, young son was particularly fond of his Nan, and couldn't imagine anyone[let alone his own father] thinking such a thing about his grandmother.
He asked"did Dad really do that?"
Me "yes, he did"
His reply "he really wrote that about Nan?"
Me "well, as I said, sometimes when we're angry we do and say things we don't really mean"
This seemed to sort his feelings out and after an apology and a hug he settled down for the night.
As I got up to leave the room, he sat bolt upright in the bed and asked "did he use capital letters"
I often think about that night and it still makes me laugh.
Cheers
Sue
the door is always open, the kettles always on, my shoulders here to cry on, i'll not judge who's right or wrong.