Letters to Jack & Audrey: Thank you

Jack,

Thank you for being such an incredible little boy!

Yesterday was a really rough day for me. As a Program Account Manager, I work with lots of people and I really enjoy my job most days! I love working with people and usually can help them and that makes me feel good!

But, at the end of the day, I’m in customer service and when a client is unhappy, I’m the person that hears about it. I will take the full brunt of the company’s failure when they do sometimes fail to please the customer and meet their needs. That’s what I’m paid for.

Yesterday, I heard from a LOT of unhappy people. I know it’s just the season for that, but still…. FYI: Try to remember as you grow up that people in customer service positions take a lot of unnecessary abuse around the holidays. I’ve had years of experience in customer service positions and I know it to be a fact.

Anyway, I was barely keeping it together by the time I picked you up. I had already teared up a couple of times during the day, but was able to keep it to myself and no one noticed.

We went to the “Tiny Toy Store” as you call it which is the Circle Of Knowledge toy store that is a small locally owned business and that always welcomes us even when they know we aren’t there to buy anything.

You play with their trucks by lining them up in one direction and then switching directions and lining them up again, and also by playing with their train tracks.

It was soothing to watch you. When we got home, I was fixing dinner and thinking about the day when I started to cry. It was like an explosion of emotion that I couldn’t contain and I heard you say from the other room:

“Don’t be sad, Mom! You got a boo-boo? You got boo-boo? You need band-aid, Mom?”

And you were so caring and concerned and sweet that it made me cry harder but this time in relief. There was something about your comments – your concern – that touched me and let me know it was all okay. I wish I could have been stronger for you. I want to be a pillar of strength so you know you can always depend on me and I’ll be able to protect you and keep you safe and secure.

Seeing me breakdown like this emotionally I’m sure isn’t going to help with this, but your use of the word “mom” was so grown up, that it made me feel like it was okay. I might have cried in front of you, but you are a strong little boy. Maybe it's not such a horrible thing for you to know that we ALL struggle with our emotions. Here you are in the stages of "2" where learning appropriate behavior and controlling your emotions is one of the hardest struggles you deal with every day. Maybe it's not so bad that you saw me struggle. Perhaps it will show you that it's okay to struggle with your emotions sometimes because we all do, but we get right back on our feet and it will all be okay! I assured you that it was just a small boo-boo, Mommy was okay and no, I didn’t need a band-aid but thanks for asking. You didn’t need a band-aid either, so we were both okay.

Thanks for being there for me, Jack. You don’t know how much what you said and did meant to me, but it was exactly what I needed at that moment.

Thank you!

Love,

Mommy

And now, for a little less serious material. I took this picture of these two trains because they were arranged perfectly to be: JACK ROSIE. How could I resist?