When my son was three-years-old, he would sometimes get very upset when it was time for me to leave the house to go to one of my committed FA meetings. He would cling to my leg and say, “Mommy, Mommy, please don’t go, please don’t go!” I would hug and kiss him goodbye, tell him I loved him, and go. Even though I knew I was doing the right thing, it was still heartbreaking.

One day on the phone, I shared this scenario with another fellow, who also had children. The next time my son got upset when I needed to leave, I tried her suggestion. I knelt down close to him and said, “Do you know why I am going to a meeting?” He shook his head no. I said, “I am going so that I can be a better mommy.”  He wasn’t exactly satisfied. He said, “You’re already a better mommy!”  I smiled and said, “Thank you, but going to meetings helps me to be the best mommy I can be.”  He lowered his head, still upset. I kissed him goodbye, knowing that G-d would work this out.

Fast-forward three years. My son and his then three-year-old sister were coloring at the table, and I was getting ready to go to my committed meeting. As I started to say goodbye, my daughter quickly ran over to me, clung to my leg, and hysterically began crying, “Mommy, Mommy, please don’t go, please don’t go!” “You’ll be ok,” I said, “I’ll be back soon.”  “No, please don’t go, please don’t go,” she carried on. I knelt down to give her a kiss and an extra-long hug.

Back at the table, my son continued coloring, un-phased. Without looking up, he calmly said, “She’s going so that she can be a better mommy!”