Preschoolers and the Hate Word

The last five or six days Woody has found a new way to torture me. He says I hate this, I hate that, I hate Olie, I hate Cooper. Today he started as soon as we got out of the car, I hate butterflies I don’t want to do that. I hate the park I don’t want to go. I hate that bush cut it down, I hate that plant let’s rip it out of the ground.

The entire time I’m saying, W it’s not nice to say hate it’s okay to not like something but to hate is mean and not nice to say. He would just keep saying it until finally we get to the park and I tell him we are walking down the hill this way as it’s not as steep and he says ‘I hate you mommy. I don’t want to play with you. I hate you.’

I looked at him and said Woody let’s go. You don’t say hate. Cooper of course had that shocked look on his face like ‘what just happened?’ but Cooper instantly started to cry and honestly this is one of those moments where I wish I had a clone so Cooper could enjoy the park while I drag Woody home.

So I drag both of them up the hill, they are both screaming so hard that their little faces are red, tears are streaming down their faces.

The entire I’m thinking I could just turn around and say okay go play it would all be over if I just said okay Woody it wasn’t nice what you said but go play.

I wouldn’t have to walk the walk of shame where you're dragging your kids through the park of onlooking parents while your kids scream/cry/shout at you. But what else can I do?

How do you teach your kid that it’s NOT okay to tell you or their brother or friend that you hate them. Does a three year old even know what that means?

The more important question is how do I keep my cool when he says these things? And all this happened before 11am this morning. Oh it’s going to be a great week.

Thank God preschool starts next Tuesday.