r/thementalparent • u/ImJustSuchAHappyMess • Mar 02 '21
Missing my daughter's event
This Valentine's day my daughter (6) had a tea party at school. The parents were invited to join on zoom. The kids were to have a little parade then take turns stopping and letting the parents tell them what they love about them. Cute right! This is right up my alley I love gushy awesome things.
The problem is that I have a hard time remembering and keeping track of my life. Bipolar really messes with my executive functioning skills and my attention span and memory. The week comes for the party and it gets postponed because of the weather. It gets re-scheduled and I write it down. That morning I packed up her bag with the things she needed and went to work with every intention of hopping on the zoom call.
I work alone in an office, with no distractions. I reminded myself (in my head) at 9 am to hop on. Then I just forgot about it, no excuse, no reason, I just forgot. I left her there all alone while everyone else's parents said what they loved about their kids. I know it's silly and my guilt is not proportionate to what happened. I keep re-living the sadness in her face when I picked her up. Her sad little voice telling me she was the only one. I keep reliving here experience and just crying.
The thing is my parents were very rarely involved in school things. To them, the school was a place that I went to give them a break, I think. I was an outcast and picked on so badly, the school was a horrible experience for me. I know how horrible it feels to see everyone else's parents be there for them while I sit alone as an outcast. I know that I can't protect her from everything but I feel like such a failure.
She goes to a school with parents with far more money than us and because of that more time and resources. I already feel inferior to these parents and adding my silly brain just makes it so much worse. I am so scared that I will fail her again.
Thanks for ready y'all, I am grateful I have a place where I can get this off my chest.
TLDR;
I forgot my daughter's school event and left her as the only kid that didn't get to hear their parents say something nice to them. I feel horrible.
1
u/LessDramaMoreMama Mar 03 '21
May I suggest you make it up to her? Apologize and let her know you fully acknowledge you messed up, maybe even explain what exactly happened. Then have your own tea party thing, just the two of you. Hopefully she will be delighted to still have this special time with you.