My firstborn is at a stage in his life where I often do not enjoy him.
I do not enjoy his attitude.
I do not enjoy sass and backtalk.
I do not enjoy his disrespect.
I do not enjoy his rudeness and impatience with his brother and sister.
I do not enjoy his disgusting messy bedroom.
I do not enjoy his grade 7 math homework.
I do not enjoy the fact that he is wonderful to everybody but us. I get compliments all the time about how nice he is. He’s a good kid. So polite and pleasant.
I don’t enjoy the fact that everybody else gets the best of him and we get the worst of him.
But every now and then he’ll forget to be a jerk at home and give us a glimpse of the Campbell that I hear all about.
I looked out the window the other day and saw him teaching Cuyler and Eva how to roller blade. A sense of relief washed over me and I realized that the good is still in him.
It gives me a little hope that maybe one day this phase will end and I will get my lovely boy back.
Ah, we’ve all BTDT. And I agree with Jennifer – “they need our love the most when they’re the least lovable.” Family is where you can wear sweatpants and no makeup and nobody judges you. And sometimes it’s our personalities wearing sweatpants and no makeup, not just our outsides.
It’s nice to have those glimpses and reminders of just how great our kids are. And remember, they need our love the most when they’re the least lovable!
well, i guess it’s true that you have to see how someone is when they think no one is looking 🙂 he is doing just fine and you two have built a solid foundation for him!
Oh I love this story, Christine. I find it always a great irony that all of us at times save our best for the outside world as opposed to our inner circle which should get the best of us. It is a stage I am sure. But don’t forget to call him out on it. The best thing about family is that you get to create your own rules about what you will and wont accept. He is good. We can see that clearly. xo