unconditional love

Sam wanted a special treat after eating breakfast this weekend and of course I said no.  He began to stomp his little foot and pout and then broke out into a full-out cry.  He pleaded and whined and collapsed to the floor.  I pulled out the serious mom voice and gave him a stern warning that if he continued on like this he would go in a timeout.  The warning worked mostly and he started to accept that fact that he was not going to get a special treat.  He got up off the floor and gave me the stink eye for about 30 seconds.  I couldn’t make eye contact so I just looked at the dirty dishes I was cleaning and kept my peripheral vision on him.  Then he said, “Mommy, I am very angry with you because you didn't give me a special treat but if you give me a vitamin I will hug you again.”  I smiled at him, told him that it was ok if he felt angry now but I will give him a vitamin and I would love to hug him too.  Out comes the vitamin from the cupboard and he wraps his arms around my legs and gives me a long hug.  He says, “It’s ok that you didn’t give me a special treat Mommy, I still love you” and scurries off to the basement.  I shout out after him, “And I will ALWAYS love you Sammy!” 

Is that not the best example of unconditional love?  I know that in 15 years we’ll be having similar conversations about borrowing the car or cash or something, and I hope it plays out somewhat similarly then too.  Well, actually I hope he doesn’t throw himself on the floor crying then, but I’ll take the hug and “I love you anyways, Mum.”  

Now, for any of you moms reading this that are raising or have already raised teenagers, please don’t bust my bubble.  I’d like to naively believe for the next 10 years that my experiences of “tough love” with teenage-Sammy will be as lovely as this moment with present-day-Sammy and I’m fine with just being shocked and disappointed then.