Amy Griffin

with this moat and this drawbridge. And there were a lot of alligators in that moat. And I was building and building and building. And it was much easier to always say, look at that person over there. But I think that I started to realize you've been running really hard, really fast for a long time, and you're missing something.

you know, they say your children are your greatest teachers. Yes. And in this case, and always in the case of my girls, and they're watching going, yeah, I know. But I have to say that that night I went into Gigi's room and both the girls called me in. And I went in with Gigi and Gracie said, no, Gigi really needs, she needs to tell you something.

you know, they say your children are your greatest teachers. Yes. And in this case, and always in the case of my girls, and they're watching going, yeah, I know. But I have to say that that night I went into Gigi's room and both the girls called me in. And I went in with Gigi and Gracie said, no, Gigi really needs, she needs to tell you something.

you know, they say your children are your greatest teachers. Yes. And in this case, and always in the case of my girls, and they're watching going, yeah, I know. But I have to say that that night I went into Gigi's room and both the girls called me in. And I went in with Gigi and Gracie said, no, Gigi really needs, she needs to tell you something.

And Gigi looked at me at 11 years old and she said, mom, you're there. You're not really there. Where are you? And I turned into the child and I stormed out of the room. I slammed the door. And John said, what happened in there? And I said, well, I do everything for her. I do everything. I do all the planning. I do all the packing. I have, her life is perfect because of me.

And Gigi looked at me at 11 years old and she said, mom, you're there. You're not really there. Where are you? And I turned into the child and I stormed out of the room. I slammed the door. And John said, what happened in there? And I said, well, I do everything for her. I do everything. I do all the planning. I do all the packing. I have, her life is perfect because of me.

And Gigi looked at me at 11 years old and she said, mom, you're there. You're not really there. Where are you? And I turned into the child and I stormed out of the room. I slammed the door. And John said, what happened in there? And I said, well, I do everything for her. I do everything. I do all the planning. I do all the packing. I have, her life is perfect because of me.

Mom, you're nice, but you're not real.

Mom, you're nice, but you're not real.

Mom, you're nice, but you're not real.

But that's not honest. And that was the catalyst. If your children can't be a mirror to you, then who can? And that was a moment.

But that's not honest. And that was the catalyst. If your children can't be a mirror to you, then who can? And that was a moment.

But that's not honest. And that was the catalyst. If your children can't be a mirror to you, then who can? And that was a moment.

I could never have taken it out. But as a mother... Do you also know how hard it was to say it?

I could never have taken it out. But as a mother... Do you also know how hard it was to say it?

I could never have taken it out. But as a mother... Do you also know how hard it was to say it?

I mean, the parent-child role had been reversed in that moment. Yeah. And I actually had to stop and listen and say, you know, I have to go figure this out. I have to understand why she's telling me this. And it could have been the other way around where the door could have stayed slammed and I could have said, no, you're going to just obey me and do what I say. Yeah. But I didn't. I didn't.

I mean, the parent-child role had been reversed in that moment. Yeah. And I actually had to stop and listen and say, you know, I have to go figure this out. I have to understand why she's telling me this. And it could have been the other way around where the door could have stayed slammed and I could have said, no, you're going to just obey me and do what I say. Yeah. But I didn't. I didn't.

I mean, the parent-child role had been reversed in that moment. Yeah. And I actually had to stop and listen and say, you know, I have to go figure this out. I have to understand why she's telling me this. And it could have been the other way around where the door could have stayed slammed and I could have said, no, you're going to just obey me and do what I say. Yeah. But I didn't. I didn't.

I leaned in to recognize there was something within myself. I mean.