Are other parents this emotional about random things?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have this once in a while but it sounds like you are having it more often. Is it detracting from your ability to be present as a parent?

op - haha no.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Not at all. But I notice a lot of parents seem enmeshed with their kids in a way that I'm not. Like parents will say "We go to private school." No, your KIDS go to private school. Or "we're in soccer and swim." No, THEY are. I think those are the parents more likely to absorb everything their kids go through as if they're going through it, and they confuse that with caring.

I consider it a "we" because I'm the one driving them and often sitting there waiting for it to end not to mention paying for it. It's not like they get themselves there and pay the bill. Same with private school, I picked it, pay the tuition, drop them off, pick them up, volunteer, it's very much a family activity.

[Anonymous]

For all these events you describe, OP, I get a tight throat; a slight moment of emotion. I don't let it show, of course. I think it's healthy and normal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes, sometimes. I've always been an emotionally available person, but there's a specific thing that happens with my kids where I will find myself tearing up in conversation and it's not immediately even clear why.

One that always gets me is when my kid has a teacher or coach who seems to genuinely care about them. On many occasions, I've felt my eyes start to well up in conversations with a teacher who is saying something kind or insightful about my child, or just demonstrating real affection for them. Something about another adult really seeing and investing in my kid is so incredibly touching to me. Maybe it's because we don't have supportive family and our own parents/siblings don't do this? So I'm just so touched by anyone who does. I really have to work to control it because I don't want to freak out these lovely teachers and coaches by randomly crying when they say they were proud of my kid's hustle in practice today, or that they were laughing hard at something funny they said in class. I just feel this very, very deeply.

Same here—I have very low expectations given my family of origin, and DH’s are biased towards their grandchildren of a different sex.

The DCs recently switched to a different sports club and it was amazing that the coaches there actually care to make sure they’re doing the move correctly. And some teachers, kind strangers, and a relative of DH are also always in my heart.

RE: being teary—my DCs are 8 and 10 as well and I often feel this way at a big culmination of something that took a large amount of effort.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I often find myself getting emotional and teary eyed about oftentimes some unexpected (and kind of embarrassing) kid related things. My kids are 8 and 10 and numerous times I have found myself tearing up at their school (parent nights, first days, last days, performances), at camp (first and last days but also even like - reading about the camp!). Do other parents experience this?? I cannot work out why it is that I feel this way other than maybe a constant existential crisis.

yes, I have "my babbbbbby moments" and "omg they are going to grow up and leave cries". I've wondered if I have issues too but I think it's partly due to being a parent.

[Anonymous]

Yes. I still have them and my kids are 20 and 23.

[Anonymous]

It’s getting worse as my kids get older. I almost always tear up at school performances now that I have kids in high school and middle school and know that it’ll be over soon.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes, sometimes. I've always been an emotionally available person, but there's a specific thing that happens with my kids where I will find myself tearing up in conversation and it's not immediately even clear why.

One that always gets me is when my kid has a teacher or coach who seems to genuinely care about them. On many occasions, I've felt my eyes start to well up in conversations with a teacher who is saying something kind or insightful about my child, or just demonstrating real affection for them. Something about another adult really seeing and investing in my kid is so incredibly touching to me. Maybe it's because we don't have supportive family and our own parents/siblings don't do this? So I'm just so touched by anyone who does. I really have to work to control it because I don't want to freak out these lovely teachers and coaches by randomly crying when they say they were proud of my kid's hustle in practice today, or that they were laughing hard at something funny they said in class. I just feel this very, very deeply.

Same here—I have very low expectations given my family of origin, and DH’s are biased towards their grandchildren of a different sex.

The DCs recently switched to a different sports club and it was amazing that the coaches there actually care to make sure they’re doing the move correctly. And some teachers, kind strangers, and a relative of DH are also always in my heart.

RE: being teary—my DCs are 8 and 10 as well and I often feel this way at a big culmination of something that took a large amount of effort.

op - yes for sure! All these other humans caring about our kids and helping them definitely does it too. I had cancer when younger dc was in kindergarten, was just after covid, and it was also a year with a bunch of shootings and his teachers sent so many emails about how they were making the kids feel safe in the classroom and just focused on being little and on the last day i just absolutely lost it and couldn't say goodbye to the teacher properly bc trying to stop self from weeping. was a fun experience.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have this once in a while but it sounds like you are having it more often. Is it detracting from your ability to be present as a parent?

op - haha no.

I don't get why that was a funny question?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have this once in a while but it sounds like you are having it more often. Is it detracting from your ability to be present as a parent?

op - haha no.

I don't get why that was a funny question?

i mean does pp literally think that op is spending their day weeping to the point of it interfering with parenting? op said they get teary eyed at performances or last days of school, op didn't say i am drinking vodka out of a stanley tumbler at morning drop off.

[Anonymous]

Yes. About 10 years ago I even posted here asking if it was normal to cry over washing DC “quiet time” towel for the last time of the kindergarten year. I bawled at the washing machine and thought myself certifiable.

[Anonymous]

I always felt like I was in a small minority of mothers who didn’t get all weepy with school milestones, lead in a school play, whatever.

I was thrilled when they went to preschool because I knew they’d like it. Some moms get weepy that they’ve grown too fast and they’ll miss them.