I found this advice in an old email that I had sent a friend who was struggling with mommy-syndrome and all it’s joys and complications: “Something I saw in a movie one time that I always thought I’d try if I had a little girl or even another baby boy – is to have some whisper time. Rediculously cheesy, but so very sweet. Just whisper talking to them and in your case, your daughter whispers to you… Nothing specific, just where you talk to each other in whispers, holding hands, really close to them. Like you are the only two people in the world. I always picture this taking place in a little blanket fort in the living room but whatever and wherever. Life is so chaotic as it is, and we are all so caught up in the daily routine of what NEEDS to be done that we lose sight of what we are doing it all for. If you think about it, nothing in this world would matter one bit if we lost our kids. Or our husbands. But especially our kids. They are literally, our flesh and blood. Our heart, living outside of our bodies. Nothing is more precious or valuable than that. I seriously came to the realization one day when I was all rushed and running late and yelling at Kaden that – NO. You know what?! I am NOT going to be this person. If I’m late to work. So be it. SO. BE. IT. Kaden being late to school is not the end of the world. And me getting to work late is especially not the end of the world. Hell, they’re lucky most days to even have me show up! But what WOULD be the end of the world, is if those angry, hurried moments were (GOD FORBID!) my last moments with my little boy. THAT. That, would be tragic. SO I said f*** it. For real. I try to be on time. Usually I am. Sometimes I’m not. And nothing earth shattering has come of it.”
It’s been several years since I wrote this advice to her, and it still seems like decent advice. So if any of you need a reminder, like I certainly do, there you go.