Ouch

Jack told me today that he loves his daddy more than he loves me. :( I totally get that he goes through phases when he prefers one of us over the other one, and there are definite pros to not being the one he calls for in the middle of the night. But this latest Daddy phase has been going on awhile, and to hear him actually say that he doesn't love me as much as his dad hurt a little more than I expected.

We've been trying to encourage him to be a little more tactful. He definitely has favorite friends, and he's not shy about telling me who they are. I tell him that it's ok to tell the favorites how much he likes them, but it's not ok to tell the less favored friends that he likes other people more than them.

After he told me that I was not his favorite parent, I told him that my feelings were hurt and that that's what I had meant when I said he shouldn't say things like that to other people.

He put his arms around me and said, "But I still love you pretty much, Mommy. I love you pretty much."

He pulled away and looked at me.

"Are your feelings still hurt?" he asked.

And of course they are. Tom reminded me, though, that it won't be long before the pendulum swings the other way and it's back to all Mommy all the time. Then I'll be wondering why I thought this was so bad.