Dear child: Forgive me for being impatient

In a matter of days, our lives have turned upside down like those rollercoasters you’ve dreamed about riding this summer. Your sports activities, spring musical program and school have all been closed. Your playdates and outings are being withheld to ensure your safety on lockdown.

When you first heard the news, you yelled and cried out to me, “Why, Mom? Why?”

I felt the same as you.

I’ve lost my temper, and unstable emotions have got the best of me. I’ve forgotten you’re just a child and don’t see the world as adults do. You just need my love and care right now — not my harshness and anger over things I can’t control.

I’m trying my best to keep our home a place of calm, but sometimes it feels more like a war zone. The world is in crisis, and lots of mommies and daddies are in survival mode too.

You’ve seen me blow up and shed tears on my pillow. I’ve seen the tears you’ve cried and concerns at bedtime when darkness settles in. I hear your complaints for wanting your friends and missing your teachers at school. I know your need for routine and structure, and I’m trying my absolute best.

The full article is available in our e-Edition. Click here to subscribe.