One night, when I ran out of the shower to hear his sobs, my wife was sitting next to me, engrossed in her iPad, and my three-year-old was covered in red paint.
I soon discovered a bigger problem that threatened to destroy our family, leaving me frustrated and confused.
It started out like any other night. My wife would usually scroll through her iPad while relaxing in her chair.
I thought this would be the perfect time for a quiet shower, after the kids were in bed.
I heard a soft cry while I was under the hot water. At first I thought it was just a little grunt and ignored it.
However, the crying got louder and more intense.
“Daddy! Daddy!” The sound of the running water was interrupted by my son’s voice.
I ran into his room, turned off the water, and grabbed a towel.
As I walked through the living room, my wife was still engrossed in her iPad, seemingly unaware of the commotion that was going on.
“You couldn’t calm him down?” I asked, sounding louder than I intended.
“I tried three times,” she answered truthfully, without even looking up.
That was it. No sense of urgency, no concern. It was just a casual remark. Despite my growing frustration, I ran to our son’s room to comfort him.
I wasn’t prepared for what I found. My son was crying so hard he was sitting up in bed. Through his sobs, he gasped, “Dad, I made a mess.”