I was a good mom today. I didn’t want to be, but I was.

Once a year, my daughter’s school has an enrichment morning where they show the parents all the ins and outs of how they’re teaching the students to read.

I attended last year and got my “good mom” card punched. Done.

This morning, Layla (6) springs this conversation on me—eight minutes before school starts:

Layla: “Mommy, are you coming to the reading day today at school?”

Me: “Nope. I went last year and I feel fully versed in how you’re learning to read.”

Layla: “But myyyyyyyyy class wasn’t the example class last year.  Myyyyyyyyy class is doing the demonstration today and I really want you to be there.”

Crap.

In all honesty, I didn’t want to go. I wanted to go into work. I wanted to focus on what really matters in life—my overflowing email inbox.

But I went. I went kicking and screaming like a kindergartener on the inside, and smiling and nodding like a good mom on the outside .

And as soon as I saw that ragtag group of six-year-olds sitting crisscross applesauce on the circle carpet with their Underroos hanging out as they proudly chanted their consonant and vowel sounds, all my anxiety melted away and I was glad I had come.

She wanted me to be there and I was.  I’m not always a good mom, but today I was.  So, I decided to take a picture and capture the moment of kindness that made me feel like a good mom.

I’m going to keep it close by, so the next time I feel like a terrible mom, I can remind myself that not too long ago I was a good one.