“Mommy, Mommy! Look at this!” my 8-year-old exclaimed. I turned my head and was met with a squishmellow version of a Disney villain – its facial features scrunched up in a twisted snarl, and its face beet red. While I was trying to place which movie the character is from, my son proudly proclaimed, “This is exactly what you look like when you’re mad!”
I froze, unsure how to react. “…Is that so? I look just like that?” I stammered.
“Yeah, but you don’t look anything like that right now. I really like the way you look right now.” He lamented. And continued to put back the plushie-who-shall-not-be-brought-home.
I wasn’t sure if he was just trying to make me feel better because he read the bewildered expression on my face, or if he was empathetic to what I was feeling at that moment.
