The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

Sometimes as a parent you have to be the bad guy. The one who says no, the one that brings the tears to the surface. The one who is very, very unpopular in the house. Single-parenting means that sometimes it seems as if you are always the bad guy. As a parent and often single-parent I can get caught up in the moment, the emotion. Sometimes my beautiful, wonderful, smart, sympathetic son just pushes my buttons and I later feel guilty for the things I say and the way I make him feel. And sometimes I get so tired of being the bad guy - either the one who says no or the rule/keeper/maker that I forget about all the times I am the good guy. All the times I say yes, all the times I make my son happy, make him sing or feel secure, trusting or loved. Can all of us parents who feel like we are too often the bad guy stand up and pat ourselves on the back and try, try, try to remember all the good times and things we do for our children?