Kind of Appreciated

Yesterday, I felt a little deflated by all my efforts. And worse than no recognition for helping and doing things is negative recognition.

After school, I told Tyler that I appreciated him picking up his backpack and jacket. He then told me"Mom that was our word of the day today APPRECIATION"

Skip forward a few hours (after total unappreciation during those hours) to bedtime

I didn't bother really talking to Trevor since it may not have made it better so I simply said I love you. Good Night.

With Tyler, I asked him if he appreciated me. He answered, I kind of appreciate you. He then decided to recall one time when he was four when I was less than perfect in encouraging him ( translation I was yelling at him to get up the stairs) and then asked if I could lay by him until he went to sleep. In my deflated mood, I told him he could lay there by himself and appreciate that he could get himself to sleep. Then I went downstairs with a book.

Moments later, he came down the stairs to explain how he kind of appreciated me. "Mom, I have a heart, and I give you one half and I keep the other so that is why I only can kind of appreciate you."
I concluded that I like being kind of appreciated.