A reflection on presence, parenting, and the quiet power of being seen

Over the summer, I found myself reflecting on one of the most valuable lessons I learned as a young mother…

A Simple Shift

When my daughter was small, she would sometimes grow fussy or unsettled, and I would rush to figure out the problem.

Was she hungry? Tired? Upset?

I would try to fix things, and, if I’m honest, I’d get frustrated when nothing worked.

Until one day I discovered a simple shift.

If I knelt down and brought myself to her eye level, or even a little lower, and softly asked her, “What do you need?” something beautiful usually happened.

Her body softened. The fussing ended. She relaxed into herself and into me.

And I realized – it wasn’t food or a nap she needed. It was acknowledgment. It was being seen. It was being heard.

That moment of witnessing her, of offering my presence instead of my solutions, was often more powerful than anything else I could do…

This is an excerpt from my Substack, where I share weekly reflections on presence, parenting, and everyday magic. You can read the full piece here

This reflection is part of my ongoing writing on presence, parenting adult children, and living with intention. You can explore more on my blog here

If this resonated, you’re warmly invited to join me on Substack for reflections like this one.