Thursday, June 3, 2010

Sadness



I got mad at the girls today. They crossed the street without me- twice. We live on a busy street where cars go over the speed limit more than they don't so this was a big problem. Neither Caroline nor Katherine have learned that they have to look before they cross- every time. So the rule is pretty clear- no crossing the street. Neighborhood children playing proved too tempting and the rule was broken- twice. So needless to say, by the second time, it was pretty hard for me to stay calm.

As I watched Caroline's face, though, it became obvious that, for the first time, she really got it. When I told her that if she didn't look, she could be hit by car and if she got hit by a car she could die, she began to cry and the look of terror on her face broke my heart. And I began to cry.

Katherine, not yet totally getting it, said, "Mommy, why are you sad even though you're the one who made the sadness?"

I had no answer other than to think that sometimes being a mother means being sad because you made the sadness.

1 Comments:

At June 5, 2010 at 10:22 AM , Blogger sara mann said...

i have a good friend who lost her 4-year old son at the local children's museum last week. a mad search ensued for a good 5 minutes before they found him, happily immersed in an activity a floor below where she was. she described her emotions when they were finally reunited: relief, of course, but also intense anger at her son, who was oblivious to the hell he had put her through. she said she scared him with her anger and they both left the museum in tears. all that to say, we've all been there. and i daresay a little bit of anger and fear regarding potential serious danger is probably healthy for all involved -- because i'd bet good money her son, like caroline and katherine, will not make the same mistake again.

 

Post a Comment

Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]

<< Home