DS2 left yesterday.
It’s not quite as dramatic as all that.  He went on a school trip, to the mountains for 4 days and 3 nights without us.  DS1 did this same thing a couple of …

He is now able to explain what he was feeling (although often convoluted). He explained that he would wake in the morning and his first thoughts were of hurting me. Maybe physically, mostly emotionally…he wanted me to be weak because he felt stronger. He said that he hated me for trying to be a strong mom to him…he hated rules and he felt that I was evil for giving them to him. His main goal was to have control everyday and when he couldn’t – he felt that raging was the only answer.