Most of the time, I feel like a fairly reasonable, practical person; I am not really someone who others would accuse of being irrational (while there is absolutely nothing wrong with that—it just isn’t really me), but there are those times when I DO get emotional, exhausted or overwhelmed. There are those times when I fall victim to the unexplained tears. And while my kids hate it—especially when I cannot really explain the why of it—I have learned that it is better for me to indulge a little cry now and again, then to try to ignore it, bury it, or fight it off…
Of course, the tear-fest is not the sole claim of the single parent, but I have written before that I do think we single parents are more susceptible to some of life’s realities that can cause a bout of tears—exhaustion, financial stress, overwork, extreme life challenges. Sometimes, the unexplained tears may be tinged with sadness and other times there really is not any obvious reason or deep underlying emotion to spur them on—the just come tumbling out for seemingly no reason at all. I never know if it is “hormonal” as I used to hear all the time, or due to funky nutrition, but what I do know is that sometimes those unexplained tears are somewhat welcome.
A good cry, a heart-to-heart with a trusted friend, a moment of indulged weakness, even a one-hour pity-party—I DO think these can all be signs of good mental health. If the tears last for days or you cannot help feeling sorry for yourself for weeks on end, then there is probably a much deeper problem—but an evening of exhausted crying can be healing and therapeutic. After all, we may be amazing single parents but we are only human too!
Also: How Much Crying Can You Handle?
Crying in Front of Your Children