This morning was one of those mornings. You know the kind.
My son was deep in the Lego zone—laser-focused on building something very specific. I, being the well-meaning mom I am, tried to help… and accidentally broke his creation. Big mistake. Huge. I am not the Lego parent. That’s my husband’s territory. But he wasn’t home, and I was just trying to help.
Cue the complete meltdown.
He was on the floor, sobbing, furious, heartbroken. We had about 10 minutes before we needed to leave for school, and my blood was starting to boil. You know that feeling? When you can literally feel the heat rising in your chest and you’re just seconds away from snapping?
In that moment, I knew that if I lost it, we’d both spiral—and I’d be carrying a load of guilt with me for the rest of the day.
So instead… I stood still. I breathed. I dug up some shred of patience and offered him a choice:
“You can keep having your meltdown and be late for school… or you can get up now, get to school early so you can play on the playground, and then finish your Legos after school.”
Honestly? I didn’t think it would work. I braced myself for more tears, maybe even prepared to leave the room and have a good cry myself.
But he surprised me. He got up.
We made it to school a little early. He proudly showed his friends his monkey bar skills. And guess what he’s doing right now? Yep—happily building Legos with his dad.
Was I perfect? Nope. Did I have a magical strategy? Not really. Just a quiet moment, a pause, and a choice.
I’m not a master of staying calm in chaos—but I’m learning.
If you’re in the same boat, trying to parent through big emotions (your kid’s and your own), just know: you’re not alone. Sometimes, we just need to breathe, stand still, and offer a little grace—to them and ourselves.
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