My Children Hear “Maybe” More Than They Hear “Yes”

Dear Delyara, I have started noticing it in my own mouth. “Maybe this weekend.” “Maybe next paycheck.” “Maybe we’ll see.” “Maybe not today.” It sounds gentle. Responsible. Measured. What it really means, most of the time, is I am scared. Scared of overcommitting, of coming up short, of saying yes to one thing and feeling the whole month tighten around my throat afterward. My kids do not know that. They just hear hesitation. And I am terrified that one day they will remember me as a mother who always sounded slightly worried when they wanted ordinary things. That thought keeps me awake more than the bills do.