“I Said I Hate You!”… But That’s Not What I Meant.
If you’ve ever had your child look you straight in the face and yell, “I hate you!” then this post is for you.
It can feel shocking, heartbreaking, or even enraging. Many parents immediately think:
Does my child actually feel this way?
Where did I go wrong?
Let’s take a breath together.
In almost every case, “I hate you” is not about hate at all. It’s a message that’s coming out sideways because your child doesn’t have the language, regulation, or safety to say what they really mean.
First, Let’s Reframe the Words
Children use big words when they have big feelings. When the nervous system is overwhelmed, the brain shifts away from logic and language and into protection.
So instead of hearing defiance, try listening for the need underneath the words.
What Kids Are Often Actually Saying
Here are some of the most common meanings hiding underneath “I hate you.”
1. “I’m overwhelmed and don’t know how to make it stop.”
What it sounds like:
“I hate you!”
What it really means:
This feeling is too big and I don’t have the tools to handle it.
Helpful parent response:
“Something feels really overwhelming right now. Let’s figure this out together.”
2. “I feel powerless and I’m trying to get control.”
What it sounds like:
“I hate you! You’re the worst!”
What it really means:
I feel trapped or cornered, and I need to feel some sense of control.
Helpful parent response:
“I hear how upset you are. Let’s slow this down together.”
3. “I’m mad at the situation, not you.”
What it sounds like:
“I hate you!” (often after a boundary or a ‘no’)
What it really means:
I hate this limit, this rule, or this disappointment.
Helpful parent response:
“You really don’t like this boundary. It’s okay to be mad, and I’m still here.”
4. “I don’t feel understood.”
What it sounds like:
“I hate you! You never listen!”
What it really means:
I feel unseen, unheard, or misunderstood.
Helpful parent response:
“You’re feeling like I don’t get it right now. Help me understand.”
5. “I’m scared of my own feelings.”
What it sounds like:
“I hate you!” (often followed by tears or shutdown)
What it really means:
These emotions feel unsafe and I don’t know what to do with them.
Helpful parent response:
“These feelings are really big. I can handle them with you.”
Why Correcting the Words Often Backfires
When parents respond with:
“Don’t you ever talk to me like that!”
“That’s hurtful. Go to your room.”
“Say sorry right now.”
…the child’s nervous system often escalates, not calms.
Why?
Because the child hears:
My feelings are too much.
I’m bad for feeling this way.
I’m alone with this.
This doesn’t mean boundaries aren’t important. It means connection comes before correction.
What Does Help Instead
1. Regulate First, Teach Later
When your child is dysregulated, their brain is not available for lessons, logic, or apologies.
Focus first on:
Staying calm
Using a steady voice
Offering physical or emotional safety
Teaching moments come after the storm has passed.
2. Hold the Boundary Without Taking the Words Personally
You can validate feelings without approving the language.
Example:
“I won’t accept hurtful words, and I know you’re really upset right now.”
Both can be true.
3. Translate Their Feelings Out Loud
You’re modeling emotional language your child hasn’t learned yet.
Try:
“I think you’re feeling really disappointed.”
“It sounds like you’re frustrated and tired.”
“You wanted something different to happen.”
Over time, your child will borrow your words instead of shouting theirs.
A Gentle Reminder for Parents
When your child says “I hate you,” it’s often because you are their safest place to unload.
They are not testing your worth.
They are testing whether the relationship can hold their biggest feelings.
And every time you respond with calm, curiosity, and connection, you are teaching:
Big feelings don’t break relationships.
That lesson lasts a lifetime.
If This Is a Frequent Pattern
If these moments are intense, frequent, or paired with aggression, shutdowns, or anxiety, it may be a sign your child needs more support with nervous‑system regulation—not stricter consequences.
Support can look like:
Parent coaching
Play therapy
Nervous‑system‑informed approaches
Neuroaffirming support for neurodivergent kids
You’re not doing anything wrong.
You’re learning how to listen beneath the words and that’s powerful parenting.
At Guiding Arrows Counseling, we help parents decode behavior, understand the nervous system, and respond in ways that build connection instead of fear. If this resonates with you, you’re not alone and support is available.
