The other day, I asked my 11-year-old to stop talking. Not because I didn’t care — but because I did. After a long day, I couldn’t fake being present. Kids know when we’re not really listening. Sometimes the most honest thing we can do is pause, so when we return, we can truly hear them.

Sometimes reassurance doesn’t come in grand gestures. It comes in a quiet question, a plate of food, and a note from a teacher.