Everyone always talks about playing favorites as a parent, where you're more partial to one of your children over another. Nobody ever talks about your child playing favorites, where he's more partial to one parent over another. My son seems to prefer me to my wife. He just acts differently around me than he does with her. He's generally more happy and smiley at my goofy antics or when I'm talking to him. And while I secretly love this about him, I can't express it in front of her.
I have noticed that she seems a bit jealous of the attention and reactions that I get from him. I have seen her trying to mimic the games I play or the way I interact with him. As if she can recreate the magic, if she acts like me. It doesn't work. He can sense something fake about it. And that I believe is the true magic. I'm not trying to be someone else. I'm just me. I'm relaxed and real and goofy. And I think he likes that about me. It's comforting and fun for him. I really think my wife would have more success, if she'd relax and be herself. She doesn't need to try so hard. He'll love her for her, not because she's acting like me.
She'll figure it out. Until then, I'm eating up the attention from him. Dads don't get the headstart to bonding that moms get, so I'll take whatever I can get that gets me closer to my son's affections.
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