It’s never been a secret that the Kaiser has preferred his father since birth. This summer brought another round of Love Daddy, Disregard Mommy, that just about sent me to bed, to the bottle and off the deep end.
It’s no wonder, really. He and Scout are peas and carrots, meanwhile I’m the mom who puts him on swim team like he wanted and then tells him to Get his ass in the pool when he is concerned it will be too cold.
People have told me that eight is a real A-hole age for kids. For the Kaiser, his awkward seems to be coming out and his struggles are changing.
I’m worrying about him. His relationships with people his age, his focus, his following directions.
He’s gifted and emotional. He’s young for his class and tall for his age. He’s academic smart and struggles with anything athletic.
And I worry about him.
After the crisis of anti Mommy (yet again), He turned … or I did .. Our relationship changed again. We are building a Lego town, we have tried golf, I support his swimming efforts, we talk, he shares …
Tonight as we were at swimming and he was supposed to be listening, he wasn’t. He blurted out, he kept trying to get my attention … at one point I had him cuddled to me with my hand gently over his mouth to keep him quiet. I listened to the parent meeting and worried about him.
I was the mom. The enforcer.
As we walked out he said, “Mommy, you are my hero.” I asked him why and he said, “I just wanted to tell you.”
Then we got in the car and he pointed to his Lego shirt, covered in Minifigs of various jobs … He said,”You are this for me.”
I looked … the figure was a Warrior.
It may all change tomorrow, but for that moment he understood – I am a warrior for him. Warrior Mommy.
Always.