You Have Messed Up My Entire Life!

My boys were, as usual, arguing.  One of them complained that his brother had just messed something up for him.

The other shot back, "Oh yeah?  Well, YOU have messed up MY ENTIRE LIFE!"

He really took it to the next level with that statement.  Talk about upping the ante!

And then, ten minutes later, they were sitting on the couch with their arms around each other. 

This love/hate thing is really hard on parents.  Sometimes I put them in their rooms for fighting and before they are even done their time-out, they have forgiven each other and are scheming about what to play next.  They have forgiven each other even before I've forgiven them for fighting!

I tell them we love them exactly the same, completely equally; that they are different but our love is the same.

I know there is love there, somewhere...deep, deep down inside.  Really deep.  Sometimes hard to find.  But there...right?