"The worst chicken I’ve ever tasted"

She’s at her desk, finishing today’s report.

End of quarter. Close this one, plan the next.

The pressure’s been on all day, and she held it together.

She’s proud of herself.

Then the door opens downstairs.

They’re home.

She closes the laptop, already thinking about a hug and today’s stories.

“Dinner’s ready. Wash your hands and come to the table, please.”

No one’s listening.

She asks again.

They finally sit down.

Then she hears it.

“Ugh! This is the worst chicken I’ve ever tasted!”

That’s it.

“Go upstairs. No dinner. Go NOW!”

“No, please, no Mom!”

And she feels it.

Too much.

He was rude. Sure.

But did she really need to react that hard?

That was me.

The mom I’d decided to be went straight out the window.

Because I took it as:

I’ve done so much for you, and this is how you thank me.

If a colleague had called my report the worst he’d ever read, I’d have asked what to fix (probably crying inside).

But my child’s attitude hit a sore spot.

The problem wasn’t the chicken. It was the story I attached to it.

That’s the pattern I help moms change.

So they can handle the attitude without spending the rest of the night feeling like the worst mom alive.

I’m opening 3 Founding Member spots for Break The Pattern, my 90-day private coaching program for Type A moms of strong-willed 6–10 year olds.

We start Nov 23.

Applications close on Nov 22, or when the 3 spots are gone.

If you want help handling the attitude without yelling or caving, reply “pattern” and I’ll send you the details.