My youngest son gets really emotional when he’s tired. He’s seven. They reduced recess and lunch time and do more learning in a day than when I was a kid.

As adults they tell us to get up and move for at least 10 minutes each hour and yet our kids are expected to sit a pay attention for long stretches without complaint.

By the end of the day he’s tired, hungry and doesn’t want to do anything but chill. My husband and I just had a conversation about him being little and not meaning all the mean things he says and screams when he’s tired. Is that fair though?

Yesterday he told me to never speak to him ever again, my whole life. Obviously dramatic and I knew he was tired but then other words come flying out of his mouth after he apologized which were less dramatic and more mean. As a mother isn’t it my job to teach him what is and is not ok to say, even in anger or when tired?

Allowing words like “I wish you weren’t my mom” or “you probably wish I wasn’t born” just gives way to believing it’s ok to say hurtful words to people. I’m not raising boys who become men who throw words out in frustration or anger they can’t take back once they’re out there.

Am I wrong in this thinking? Should I be allowing more space for this type of communication or should I continue to remind them that words can hurt, even if you apologize later?