I went to babysit the children of a friend of mine who’s currently going through a separation/divorce. As soon as she and her friend left, the oldest boy started freaking out. He ran into his room and tried to push the door closed (while I held it open with my foot) while yelling “I JUST WANT TO BE ALONE, IT’S NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS!” He continued to freak out until I finally gave up and called his mom to come home. I’ve never had to do that. I’ve been babysitting since I was eleven, and not once have I had to call someone back home because they’re children are too much to handle. When she came home, he immediately started bawling. She scolded and spanked him (after multiple warnings and instructions to apologize all ignored), and we all went out onto the porch. I stuck around for about forty-five minutes after she came home, and he was still crying when I left. I was texting her friend on the way home, discussing why he might be acting this way. It’s pretty obvious that he’s upset about his parents and doesn’t want to talk about it; He doesn’t know what to do. He’s just a little kid.

It’s really frustrating because I’ve been through this, more than once, and there’s really no helping it. There’s not really a good way to explain to a child what’s really happening when his parents decide they don’t love each other like they used to - You might think there is, but there isn’t. I’ve been told so many times, for as long as I can remember, all of the consoling bits: It’s not your fault, They still love each other, They still love you very much, It’ll be okay, etc. But you’re a little kid. It doesn’t make sense, and you’re stuck being sad and angry about it until you’re big enough to understand it (as much as it’s possible to). adlkfjdlaksfaj;,vmdsfk It’s SO FRUSTRATING. I wish I had the opportunity to explain to him that I know what he’s feeling. He’s little, but I think he’d appreciate it.

I’m also really worried about their mother. From talking to my Mom, I have the faintest idea of the way she’s feeling. I really hope she doesn’t feel guilty. When my parents decided to call it quits, my mother felt like she had an obligation to find me a father. She tried, and she ended up in a terrible relationship with a mean, mean man. My Mom was more than enough all along, and I know that this woman is also a magnificent parent. I wish I felt like it was appropriate to tell her she shouldn’t feel guilty for doing this, and that her children won’t resent her, and that she’s a wonderful parent who could do it alone if she had to. I don’t think she does, but she could.

I didn’t realize how upset this had made me, adf;alskdja;vlkjds;lkfw ehahahahhasdfkahdsfahhahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh