My daughter asked for help with glitter and I had to hide my first reaction

Dear Delyara, The first reaction was not loving. It was tired. Glitter, for anyone already worn down, is not a craft material. It is a threat. It means mess, slowness, attention, sticky fingers, and at least one small disaster before bedtime. She was excited. I was already at the end of myself in small invisible ways. So I took a breath, sat down, and helped. This is one of the things I wish people understood better. Parenting often means moving from your first feeling to your chosen feeling very quickly, quietly, without applause. Love is not always what arrives first. Sometimes it is what you build on purpose two seconds later.