She Went There

Tonight The Bean got a bit mad at her Papa. She was being a bit....how shall we say it?...ummmm... nutty (to put it mildly). Leslie and I were actually scratching our heads and wondering why she was so out of control and then it dawned on us. It was after 9 pm and she hasn't napped since Christ was a Mess Cook and well, she was sent to bed.
It must have felt abrupt and akin to punishment because she got mad. Like a bit huffy and "don't I just feel so sorry for myself" mad. He sent her up to her room by saying , "Hey Ev go on up and get into your bed, take a few minutes to calm down, look at some books and Mama and I will be up in a few minutes"
She went up.
She got into bed.
But she sat in the dark- mad- for about 15 minutes.
Les hugged her and asked why she didn't read any. She replied " I did NOT feel like it".
Then I moved in for my hug and kiss and she looked at me, with brimming eyes and whispered, "I didn't read because I am mad, so mad, at Papa"
I asked her why and she said it was because she was sent to bed. We talked for a few minutes, I called Leslie back in and he apologized for hurting her feelings. There was much hugging and talking and explaining.
Then she dropped her big Atom Bomb.
She pulled back, away from us, and in the most pathetic voice that she could muster she said " If you were my REAL parents then you would understand"
Yes. She went there. She's five!
We just looked at her and said, " of course we are your real parents and we DO understand. Good night we love you."
She giggled then, hugged us again and admitted that she had no idea why she said that. Go figure.

Now I am not hurt by this. I think it's kind of funny in a way. She sat up in her room, mad and tried to think up ways to feel sorry for herself and ways to make us feel really bad about sending her to bed nicely when she was tired. I think that it is good that she can admit that she is mad and tell us why. I think that she will try the whole "real parents" thing again- probably many times. I hope that I can handle it the same way each time- with humor and love.