I’m Amber, a thirty-four-year-old corporate attorney and mother to my seven-year-old daughter, Mia. My life has been a whirlwind lately, juggling my career and caring for my ailing mother. My husband, Jack, has been my rock, taking on more responsibilities at home to support me. But despite our best efforts, our daughter Mia has been feeling the effects of my absence.
One evening, I stumbled upon a drawing Mia had created, depicting a happy family with her teacher, Clara, in my place. The caption read, “I can’t wait for you to be my mom!” I felt like I’d been punched in the gut. Was Jack cheating on me? And why was Mia drawing pictures of another woman as her mother?
I confronted Jack, who explained that Mia had been struggling with my absence and had confided in Clara. He had told Mia to hide the drawing, not wanting to hurt me. But I knew I had to get to the bottom of this. We went to Mia’s school to speak with Clara, who explained that Mia had been feeling abandoned and was using her drawings as a way to process her emotions.
As I looked through the drawings, I felt a wave of guilt wash over me. This wasn’t about Jack or Clara; it was about my daughter’s pain and my own neglect. I realized that I had been so focused on my career and caring for my mother that I had neglected Mia’s needs.
That night, I sat down with Mia and had a heart-to-heart talk with her. I apologized for my absence and reassured her that I loved her more than anything. We started a new tradition, having a “Mom and Mia” night every week, where we would do something special together.
I also made changes to my lifestyle, cutting back on work hours and asking my siblings to take on more of our mom’s care. I learned to ask for help and prioritize Mia’s needs.
Life isn’t perfect, but it’s a lot better. I’m grateful for the wake-up call that Mia’s drawing provided. It reminded me of what’s truly important: being present for my daughter and showing her love and care.
