Little Sunshine in the Storm😶‍🌫️

He screamed “I don’t want Mama”… and still melted into my arms.

Dearest SS Community and Family,

Some nights are for lullabies.

Others… are a wild ride through coughs, dreams, and breakdowns.

This week, my little sunshine, Shivanyu, reminded me again that parenting isn’t about perfection.

It’s about presence.

A Nightmare & a Tantrum (and a Heart That Broke Twice)

Shivanyu’s been under the weather lately — caught in a cycle of ARI symptoms, disrupted sleep, and an unhappy nose that refused to cooperate.

His naps have been short and restless. Waking up after just an hour, crying — tired, stuffy, uncomfortable.

But the real storm hit at night.

Violent coughs jolted him awake again and again. At one point, through tears and half-sleep, he shared a dream about school — another child moved a table, and his lunch toppled all over him. He wasn’t physically hurt… but something inside clearly was.

When I tried to soothe him back to sleep, he cried louder, “I don’t want Mama!”

Ouch. That hurt.

But I stepped back, gently.

“Mama knows you're tired. I'm sorry your day hasn't been good.”

Then softly,

“Finished crying? Enough? Come here… Mama hug you back to sleep. I love you.”

He finally melted into my arms.

Sniffling, he whispered,

“Sorry Mama… I want you. Hug me. Mama sorry that I hit you.”

And just like that, I melted again.

Daylight Came (and So Did Joy)

A sense of healing, warmth, and a new day

The next morning — as if the night never happened — Shivanyu bounced back.

The cough eased. His nose breathed easier.

And he cheerfully headed off to school, his little school bag in tow.

Mama and Papa sent him off together — and once again, he was our happy child.

These are the golden bits in the tired days — when the clouds break and your sunshine returns.

---

What I Learned (Again) at 2:47AM

Children don’t always say,

“I had a hard day.”

“I’m scared.”

“I missed you.”

Instead, they scream,

“I don’t want Mama!”

And push us away with the very love they don’t know how to hold.

But behind the storm, there’s always something softer:

A need. A fear. A quiet longing.

---

To every tired parent reading this:

You’re doing better than you think.

You are showing up. You are holding space.

And even when they scream “I don’t want you”… you stay.

That’s love.

Let’s Talk About It

Have you ever been rejected by your child when you were trying your best?

Hit reply or leave a comment — I’d love to hear your story.

You might even see it featured in a future letter (always anonymously unless you say otherwise).

We’re in this together.

Support This Mama’s Writing

This newsletter is written in the raw, real hours — during naps, late nights, or messy mornings.

If this letter touched you, and you’d like to help keep it going:

Buy Me a Coffee

(one cup = one mama feeling seen and supported)

Or simply share this post with a fellow parent who might need a warm hug in words today.

Coming Soon:

“The First Time I Felt Like a Bad Mum”

(And how I forgave myself… kind of.)

---

What Is Little Sunshine Letters?

A space for real parents, real mess, and real love.

I’m simply grateful you’re reading this and being here with me.

Sharing of my eBook on Kindle

A Glimpse Within the Book: A Mother’s Unseen Battle

From the poem: “A Mother’s Unseen Battle”

Not all wars wear camouflage,

Some hide behind the daily charge.

No rifles drawn, no medals shown,

Just broken nights she braves alone.

Her scars don’t show, but they are real,

Etched in skipped meals she’d have to steal.

This isn’t weakness—it is grace:

A mother fighting every place.

And when the world can’t understand—

She still holds on with trembling hands.

For this—her tale, though few may see—

Is one of quiet victory.

Read the Full Book on Kindle: A Mother’s Unseen Battle

Special Launch Price: 28 May – 3 June 2025

Free Download Window: 18 – 22 June 2025

Kindly bookmark or share the dates — and gift a little light to someone who might need it.

With love (and coffee),

Mama of Little Sunshine

Because parenting is more than perfect pictures — it’s presence in the storm.

---

P.S. You’re reading this because you subscribed to Little Sunshine Letters or someone kind forwarded it to you.

Want more like this? Subscribe here