Calm in the Middle of Chaos

Some parenting lessons don’t come in quiet moments — they come when everything goes sideways. This was one of those nights.

From My Home to Yours: Calm in the Middle of Chaos

One evening, I was downstairs cleaning up dinner while my wife was upstairs bathing the kids. Suddenly, I heard a loud thud from above. I panicked, thinking our son had fallen over the upstairs loft railing — a fear I always had, and an area of the house my wife and I were always hyper-vigilant about safeguarding. I raced up the stairs to find my wife on the floor in intense pain. Our son had darted out of the bathroom and into the upstairs loft area— wet and undressed — and while chasing after him, my wife’s left calf muscle tore. The thud I heard was her collapse.

My daughter was trying to comfort her mother, and I immediately scooped up my son, who was still in full-energy mode, unaware of what had happened. I was standing in the middle of it all — overwhelmed, but trying to hold everything together.

In that moment, I knew I had to stay as calm as I possibly could. If I spiraled, they would too. I reminded myself to breathe. I spoke calmly and directly to my children, letting them know that Mommy was hurt, but we were going to take care of her. I focused on what each of them needed in that moment — reassurance, direction, and a steady voice to hold onto.

We called family for help, got my wife to the ER, and — 6 weeks with a walking boot and crutches later — she fully recovered. My kids didn’t need me to have all the answers — they needed to see that even in a scary moment, I could stay calm. I didn’t fix everything perfectly, but I showed up steady and present. And that mattered.

🔍 What I Learned
Staying calm doesn’t mean having all the answers — it means showing up with steadiness when others need it most. In high-stress moments, how I respond sets the emotional tone for my children.

💡Why This Stuck With Me
It reminded me that being emotionally present, even in chaos, is one of the most powerful ways I can support my kids — and model the kind of safety they can carry with them.