I used to think

 I used to think the right thing to do was to ignore the tantrum.

That’s what people said “Don’t give it attention or they’ll keep doing it.”

But watching my baby cry on the floor while I stood there pretending I didn’t care…
that broke something in me.

I know what it’s like to cry and have no one come.
I won’t do that to mine.

Now, when they melt down, I sit on the floor too.
I breathe.
I tell them I love them.
I remind them that big feelings don’t scare me away.

I don’t want them to learn that love disappears when things get hard.
I want them to learn that love stays.