Don't feel too bad, every kid does something like that.
My DD did that too at about 4 or 5. She'd done something really bad, I yelled at her and sent her to the verandah. I'd actually forgotten about her so went outside to tell her to come in and she wasn't there. I looked around the yard, still nowhere to be seen so I went out the gate to see her walking towards our house. I asked her where she'd been and she replied iwth "I walked around the block to find a nicer house to live in". I was irate, purely becuase she'd gotten off the verandah and walked around the block by herself. I sent her to her bedroom where she proceded to pack a bag with all her favourite things in it so she could leave home. SO....I told her she couldn't take anything nice if she left home and started packing all the 'ugly' clothes she hated. As I packed each item I gave her a run down of how ugly it was and how she hated wearing it so she could leave home with it. When I was packing the grey tracksuit pants (from Safeway) which she detested and absolutely REFUSED to wear, she decided she'd live with us
No, you're definitely not the worst mother! I think this happens to most people with their kids - when you put out a threat that you don't believe but the kids do!
When I was a kid all four of us were fighting in the back of the car on the way home from school- one of my brothers being the protagonist. Mum stopped the car and told him to get out. So he did and ran to the train station and proceeded to catch the oncoming train home by himself instead of get back in the car. I know mum was mortified and felt like a terrible parent when my brother assumed she meant it when she said to get out of the car.
My 5 year old (well 5 in 3 months) "ran away" yesterday too not getting her own way. I dont have any advice for you as Im going through the same thing but I do understand how you feel. When my DD said she was running away I was that frustrated with her I asked her if she would like me to help her pack (obviously not meaning it just trying to use it as a scare tactic)
Personally I think it is ok and actually healthy to apologise to our kids when we make mistakes. As a parent I ask ds to apologise when he has done something wrong to me and I think it is only fair that I too apologise if I do something to him that wasn't right. So if you arestill feeling bad thats probably what I would suggest. I would reiterate that her behaviour was still unacceptable yada yada yada but that you shouldn't have had that reaction and of course you don't want her to run away you just want her to behave yada yada yada that way it is cleared up and Lily will know that of course you don't want her to run away (which I am sure she already does) and u don't have to feel bad anymore
Don't feel too bad, every kid does something like that.
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