Interesting… do you think any of your “fixes” were short-term for a reason? I mean, a photography session maybe lasts an hour or two at the most, and youth camps — intended to “escape” the normal pressures of life and have fun and adventures (I spent several summers working at youth camps too) — last three months max.

Here’s my hang up: when my daughter gets home from school, she is literally smiling and laughing until she reaches the car door handle. She decompresses for a good 30 minutes or so — all the built up frustrations from the day — and I’ve learned to not feel awful about it even though it looks like “bad behavior.” I’ve learned to not feel jealous because her teacher got all of her “good behavior” that day. I know that — just like adults — kids feel different, act different, look different in different contexts. I also know that my kid is extremely skilled at pulling it together for long periods — a school day, a photography session, even a two-week-long overnight youth camp — but I guarantee she will fall apart in my arms every single time.

I’m not doubting your experience, but I do wonder if we are too quick to make judgments on parents (and kids) based on our limited time with them.