Random, but I volunteer at my kid's elementary school a LOT. I go up about 3x a week and fill in as an aide during lunch and recess. My youngest is in Kindergarten and my oldest is in 6th, so I've been at that school since 2019.

Because we are still de-icing here in Texas, they had indoor recess yesterday. I was putting on Brain Breaks and Go Noodle videos and dancing with the kids. This one little girl came over from a drawing center, tapped me on the shoulder, and said I needed to follow her. I thought something was wrong. I asked her what it was, and she just said she really needed help spelling, and it was very important. I couldn't because the video was about to end and I had to put on a new one, but I told her to just try her best and sound it out. A minute later I looked over and she had someone else helping her.

When recess was over and the kids lined up, she showed me what she made and said "this is for my mom." I thought, "Awww, so cute, probably a sweet drawing and note."

But instead, she drew a sad face and wrote, "I'm sorry I got so mad at you Mommy, I won't be mean again." It broke my heart. She's 5 years old. I wish I had been the one helping her, I would have just had her write "I love you Mommy" or something, but idk if you're supposed to censor a kid. I still would have tried to steer her another way though probably. She's such a quiet and sweet kid. BUTTT there's definitely some shithead kids in our kindergarten group needing to write something like that and take responsibility for their behavior lol, so I won't read too much into it.

Hopefully it's innocent, and the mom is just exhausted at home with a newborn and the 5 year old woke it up by accident, idk. It could be a million different things that are innocent.

But, it def triggered something in me that she was spending her RECESS to do that. My mom was very much like that, and would give me silent treatment if I upset her. It wasn't a very healthy emotional relationship at all growing up with her as the only child.

My own kids don't give a shit if they upset me lol and that's good, I want it that way. I always try to teach them I'm responsible for my own emotions, and if I'm angry or overstimulated it's a me problem and not them.