Instead of placing it on the counter properly, I inexplicably laid it right on the edge and it dropped to the floor and the handle broke off.

I’m proud to say that I didn’t curse or freak out, which I might do some days. Instead, I just said ‘Oh, no!’ and bent to pick it up.

I’m even prouder that The Boy came over, asked what happened, and then said ‘I’m really sorry that happened to you, Mommy.’

I sometimes hear a snippy tone from my kids that I recognize from myself and every time that happens I remind myself to breathe before I speak so I can be kinder and clearer. 

Then, other times, I hear the sweetest, most empathetic* thing come out of one of their mouths, like ‘I’m sorry that happened to you, Mommy’ and I recognize that too.  It makes me realize that for all the times I am impatient or short-tempered,  there are more times that I am kind, and gentle, and easy on their feelings. 

I know that I model behaviour for them, and while I might not always do that evenly, I can tell that my empathy is working – it is making them empathetic too.  And I am so damn proud of that.

*For the record,  it takes everything in me not to say ’empathic’ here, like we are all Deanna Troi or something.