The most helpless I ever felt was right after my daughter was born eight years ago.
Although she was considered full-term at 38 weeks, she was only 4 pounds and 2 ounces at birth and was born with a congenital heart defect. She experienced respiratory distress upon entering the world, and was immediately intubated and taken to the NICU. Just a few hours later she was transferred to the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit at a children’s hospital in another state, while I stayed put.
This.
This right here is everything.
When my children think of me, I hope that they recall the places we go, the songs we sing, the books that we read.
I hope that they think of me as their homework helper, dinner cooker, and bath giver.
I hope that they know me as their safe space, their home base, their soft place to fall.
You are the one who cares for my child when I am not there.
You teach them how to read and how to be a good friend.
You help them with art projects and tying shoes.
You comfort worries and celebrate successes.
The words escape me each time I sit down to write.There is so much I want to say – so much I need to say – about the Mom 2.0 Summit. And don’t even get me started on the Iris Awards! That post will come later. One step at a time.
Survival.
I think we all have lots of things that we swore a long time ago we would never do when we became parents. You know, back in that other galaxy far, far away. Back then we knew we would be perfect parents. The only problem was that once the kids arrived, reality set in.
Parenting is hard AF.
