Time stops when your kids need you

My daughter is having some trouble at school. Part of it seems to stem from a little girl in her class who is mean to her (and apparently mean to everyone else too), but part of it is just my girl’s dislike of change. She loves her teachers, her class, her school work, and her friends, but grade one is still drastically different from Kindergarten and is requiring a lot of adjustment.

She’s been having a rough time and it’s all I can think about. Isn’t it amazing how our kids can occupy so much of our thought process? They’re so important that when they’re going through something hard, how can you not think about them?

I spent most of today trying to distract myself from worrying about her since I have to just let her go at the front door of the school and not see her until the afternoon. I did some housework, tried to do some work, and played with my younger girl, but none of it really worked. I’ve been pre-occupied all day. Luckily, it seems that things are going to work out and it will just need some time and patience and strong support, but man, it’s exhausting being a parent.

We all expect to be exhausted with the sleepless newborn nights and the inevitable up-all-night sick nights, but no one really tells you how mentally tiring it can be too.

(photo: flickr)