Mama Should Know Better

Yesterday I made Gareth cry. I felt awful. We were outside having some bike riding time, which translates to riding the various tricycles that live outside our apartment building. He pointed out a plane flying overhead and informed me it was a jet plane. Knowing how much he likes songs I started singing Leaving On a Jet Plane to him, thinking I'd add a song about jet planes to his repertoire. I only know the opening and first chorus, but by the time I stopped singing his lower lip was quivering and then he burst into tears. It took hugging me, getting back on the tricycle, bursting into tears again, hugging me again, getting back on the tricycle again before he was sufficiently recovered from the song. At which point he informed me he doesn't like the jet plane song. I asked him if he thought I was going to leave and he said no. It's just the song that makes him sad. I should know better. I was the toddler who cried at songs, too. And what's worse is this is not the first time I've done this. I learned last Fall that Little Bird, Little Bird from Man of La Mancha makes him cry as well as reading the Velveteen Rabbit. I totally agree with him on all of these fronts. We don't read Velveteen Rabbit anymore since it makes him sad and it's always made me sad. Interestingly all three of these things are about separation and people leaving.