Graceful Parenting in Austin

I call Baby Girl’s day care. She hasn’t been feeling well, she a cough and hasn’t slept as well as she usually does. They say she doesn’t have any of the day care symptoms for needing to go home, no fever or signs of something contagious. But, she has been coughing a lot and her diaper rash has gotten worse.

There have probably been lots of days when Baby Girl had a cough and a diaper rash at the same time and she went about her day just fine, but it didn’t feel right so I moved meetings around at work, which was hard to do, it was a really bad week to leave the office, but I got them moved and headed to the day care.

Baby Girl was sitting at a table with the other kids. She was wearing a t-shirt from the day care and she was covered in purple finger paint. Some of the paint had made it to her sheet of paper, but more was on her shirt and face and hands. She saw me and I walked to her, knelt down and turned her chair so we were facing each other. She started to standup, to walk into my arms, covered from head to toe in purple paint…

I hesitated at first, thinking it would be nice if she could wash up first. But then she looked me in the eye and she said very clearly, “But Mom, I don’t feel well and I need a hug RIGHT NOW.” Some would say she didn’t use English words or baby sign language, so it wasn’t real communication, but who needs words or sign language, when she can talk just fine with her eyes?

I opened my arms and pulled her to me. I stood up so I could hug her from head to toe. Her arms reached around my neck and held on tight. We hugged for a really long time.

Sometimes it is hard to be a good Mom and also do good things at work and manage the balance between the two. But in this moment, it wasn’t hard at all. I was exactly where I should be. Covered from head to toe in purple paint.