‘He quietly tip-toed into my room, eyes sleepy and hair disheveled from tossing and turning. ‘Can I lie with you?’: Mom shares sweet reminder ‘one day they won’t come to you anymore’

“The little boy quietly tip-toed into my room, as if he was invisible. His eyes were sleepy, yet he was wide awake.

His hair was disheveled from tossing and turning, unable to sleep.

‘Can I lie with you?’

Of course I said yes.

He snuggled in and wrapped his small arms around me tightly, almost squeezing me.

He just needed his mom.

I wanted some me time. Scratch that. I NEEDED some me time, but I was unable to turn him away.
I knew he needed me.
He needed comforting.
He needed to know that I was there, and he could count on me.

You see, this lockdown and remote learning isn’t boding well with him. He’s high energy and busy.
He can’t sit at a computer and listen.
He’s distracted. Unfocussed.

And while I’m irritated and frustrated with his inability to follow through, I’m also empathetic to his situation.
He is, after all, a mini version of his mom.

It’s quite obvious how similar he is to me as a child. Heck, even as an adult I have trouble concentrating and focusing.

It’s been a really rough go.

But regardless of how selfish I wanted to be in that moment, I couldn’t turn him away.

We lay there, silently, watching some mindless television program that he didn’t understand, and I felt him release his energy.
He became calmer and more settled.
He felt safe and supported.

There will be a time when he won’t come to me, I know this.
He will be too cool or think he’s too old to go see mommy.
He’ll try to fight it on his own.

But until that day comes, I will be here.
Always.
And he knows it.”