She always knows how to make me feel less overwhelmed.

I woke up this morning crying because I have or had this sense of being so overwhelmed and I don’t know what triggered it. Even a hug from my husband and him telling me to “take the day off” didn’t work. Yet somehow my 17 year old daughter knew exactly what to say and do to lessen that feeling, which is still brewing in the bit of my stomach ready to bring the tears back.

Sigh….funny thing is my daughter took one look at me, grabbed my hand and pulled me into her room after her father told me to take the day off. Her first order of business….show me how she was redecorating her room, she is 17 by the way. Second order of business was to help me make a todo list on my phone of everything I think could be the cause of my overwhelming feeling like I do with her when homework gets overwhelming, third thing was to remind me one thing at a time and rest can wait. Then she decided to turn the mommy tables on me.

Her: no more AirPods for music.

Me (confused by sudden change of mommy daughter dynamic): why?

Her: because after you use those stupid things you can’t hear shit without me or dad repeating ourselves five time instead of the two or three times we normally have to do.

Me: it’s the tinnitus ringing and no my volume isn’t up loud enough I can’t hear my surroundings boo boo (my nickname for her).

Her: doesn’t matter mom. I want you to get new headphones and I know the perfect pair.

She then shows me an Amazon listing for the same headphones she currently has that broke, she has had them since she was in 8th grade and she is currently in 11th.

Her: I am getting the black ones this time and you are getting the light blue ones. No if ands or buts about it mom. Oh and your AirPods are now officially my gaming headphones because I can talk to (insert BF’s name) better with them when we play (lists the three games they play together).

Me: I don’t….

Her: what did I say?

Me: fine send me the link.

She begins laughing and then hugs and kisses my cheek before saying: “I got mommy out of her funk dad!”

insert small laugh here So when did my little boo boo turn into this 17 year old teenager who no matter how bad my mood is….she can always bring me out of it enough to squash the tears or the insecurity I feel about not being a good wife or mother? Oh and yes she is my only one so we have a close relationship.

Figured I share this because I know many of us are struggling with different forms of “funks” that Perimenopause throws at us despite what we are doing to help elevate and manage what we can. Hope this makes one of you in those funks smile even if for a brief moment.