"You're really frustrating me, too!"

My sweet, lovely, dear Miss H has big feelings. She's sensitive and her emotions are a lot for her to deal with sometimes (and me, too!).

Sometimes this can be especially challenging for me. Mostly because, quite frankly, she's just like me in that aspect. So we tend to feed off of each other.

Luckily for her, and me, I've got 22 years on her, and in my 25 years of life have mostly mastered the ability to properly control and deal with my emotions. I'm human, so it's not perfect. But I'm pretty good.

Lately, with this craptastic cold, she's been even more emotional than typical.

We were in the car for the all of the 3 minute drive to our local community center and she was just having a hard time. Finally, I just pulled the car over and said, "H, would you rather we just go back home? You are really frustrating me."

To my surprise, she replied with, "You're really frustrating me, too!" in a nearly hysterical screech.

I shut my eyes and took a deep breath, reminding myself for the umpteenth time all ready today that I'm the adult. I don't have the right to behave as a child. I owe that much to my children.

"What can I do to help you?" I finally asked.

"You can give me a hug."

I nodded, obviously she couldn't see this. "Okay, I can do that." I put the car in park and did what I suppose would have been the atypical thing in such a situation and got out of my car and walked around to give my child a hug.

After a minute she was fine. She told me she was sorry she was screaming at me (which is why I was frustrated) and she was ready to go play at the community center now.

It's so hard sometimes to remember that she's so little. And she has such big feelings that are overwhelming.

But it's comforting to know that she sees me as her safe place with those big feelings. She knows I will still hug her and love her, even if she's screaming in my face, and I won't punish her for releasing those feelings in a non-desirable manner. Because I can see past the tantrum or "misbehavior" and see the struggling little girl inside. And because she's typically such a sweet little gem that when that is her behavior, I know something is really going awry for her. A serious need is unmet. Even if that need is just some Momma cuddles.