Today we returned from three days away. A spent the time with her grandparents. When we returned, A initially clung onto her grandmother's leg but then came away and wanted to be held by me. However, she gave the cold shoulder to her mother. This continued for most of the day.
Why? Did A feel rejected and wanted to show this? Was she even exacting revenge? It strikes me that she shows little gratitude towards us and I am not sure she even understands the concept. I suppose that a small child expects love and attention, and is only able to retaliate to abandonment with the same. She does show us love and attention usually and I think that could be construed as gratitude at certain times. On the other hand, over a period of three days, the memory of a small child may not remember the love and attention preceding that time but only the lack of it during the time. The revenge was devastating and directed in unrepentant force.
