“Mommy, you seem a little cranky. Did you not sleep well last night?”
My 10-year-old said this to me just this morning. As much as I wanted to send her directly to her room so I could zombie-stare into my lukewarm coffee in peace, I didn’t.
Because she was right.
I was cranky because I didn’t get much sleep last night.
Through years of trial and mostly error, I’ve learned that I cannot function or parent without sleep. Even just one night awake with a barfing cat, a crying child, or my own unruly mind dramatically increases the likelihood that I will drop, break, forget, or lose something — most notably my temper.
When I’m tired, I lose my shit with my kids. A lot.
