I said out loud that the tiredness was affecting my parenting

Dear Delyara, That was hard to admit. Not because it means I don’t love my children. Because it means I am honest enough to notice when my body is influencing the atmosphere of the house through me. Less patience, less playfulness, quicker overwhelm, lower tolerance for noise — all of that matters. This week, in a proper conversation about my health, I said that part too. Not only “I’m tired.” But the fuller truth: this tiredness is changing the version of me my children get by evening. Saying it made me feel exposed. It also made me feel responsible in the right way. Not guilty. Truthful.