"Mommy, are you mad at us?"

My daughter asked me the question slowly, her eyes studying my face, her mouth in a half smile.
Her question caught me off guard. I had been aware of the tense sound in my voice that morning and my lack of patience with the girls as they dawdled, I mean, made their way toward the closet to gather up coats and hats before leaving for school. I knew I wasn’t mad at them but I began to reflect on my mood. Hadn’t I wondered to myself why the girls weren’t moving faster? When my youngest had asked me to help her brush her teeth, didn’t I say no? Wasn’t I anxious to get them to school so I could be alone?

I apologized to my daughter and reassured her that I wasn’t mad at all at her or her sister.

"I think I’m a little cranky today," I said, apologizing for my tone and offering the excuse that I had stayed up too late the night before. I also thanked her for asking the question and let her know how good it was to know she could speak up and express what she was thinking. That made her smile. I was relieved.

After bringing them to school I came home and thought more about what had transpired that morning. Then, I listened to my thoughts for what I realized was the first time in days. Still searching for a full-time position and also dealing with my new "single-mom" status, I realized that I had begun to spend too much time worrying and too little time taking proper care of myself. And it was beginning to show. My daughter’s question drew my attention to the reality that it was time for me to re-focus and re-prioritize.

It’s been two weeks since my daughter’s simple question and, after making some changes, I’m already seeing results. I’m eating better, exercising more, sleeping longer, and yes … worrying less, thanks to a simple question from one very good listener.