Friday, June 20, 2008

Why is kitty cat in the trash?

I think now that we are back in Houston the reality of missing Mommy has been setting in, especially for poor Jamie. This emerged in a manner and with a strength that I think caught even Jamie rather by surprise.

It all started with a postcard Sarah sent that had a picture of a cat on the front. We got home after school and Jamie was feeling tired and a bit sulky about something, I can remember what. We came upstairs and as I attended to Connor's dinner, Jamie lay on the couch looking at the card. Suddenly he said, "I don't like this kitty cat." Why? I asked. "I don't know," he said. I turned back to Connor, seeing Jamie going towards the kitchen out of the corner of my eye. Next thing I know Jamie is bawling, and desperately saying, "Kitty cat is in the trash!!!!" Did you through kitty cat away, I asked? "Yes," he said, "and I don't know why!!!" So I fished the card out which made him feel a little better and then he said something about missing mommy. The penny dropped for me. "Did this card upset you because it made you think of missing mommy," I asked. At this point the poor little fellow sobbed "Yessss!! and absolutely collapsed in tears.

In the end, though, I think it made him feel better to be able to voice what he was feeling and no more ambivalence has been taken out on the kitty cat since.

4 comments:

Sarah said...

I'm feeling really good right now. I think I may win a mommy award. Perhaps in a category such as "Made child cry hardest and longest..." :(

Beth said...

You don't win anything until Connor cries, too.

Nonni and Diddy said...

It's a wondrous but terrifying thing to love and be loved.

Unknown said...

Poor kitty cat.