Header Logo

The Story Frame

Newsletter Video About
Log In
← Back to all posts

Losing My Mind With a Pink Disney Brush in My Hand

by Carlos Garbiras
Apr 02, 2025
Share to…
Share

Or how simple parenting acts can drive you insane (2/3)

I finally picked up my daughter and took her to her room while being kicked and punched. I soothed her and tried to calm her down before starting again. On the outside, I look calm, but I'm feeling frustrated on the side. I'm feeling frustrated at how complicated this routine has become.

Some people are out there cleaning the ocean of plastic pollution, some warn us about the effects of social media on mental health, and some are reporting on the impending doom of Zuckerberg and Musk's cage fight.

And I'm in my daughter's room, losing my mind with a pink Disney brush in one hand and a bottle of rosemary-scented detangling spray in the other.

I manage to get her out the door just in time to get to school late again.

After drop-off, my wife called me to have our now-recurring "what the was that?" call of the day.

My wife and I agreed; we can't keep going like this, and we settled on the strategy for the following day: she does not leave her room until her hair is brushed.

The morning arrived, and we braced ourselves for a very intense (but short) protest. There is no way my daughter would say no to brushing her hair when it is the only thing standing in the way of her paleo blueberry waffles with cashew butter and raspberry chia jam.

I didn't anticipate my daughter having as much will as she does. She didn't care about breakfast if it meant torture, and torture, of course, is me brushing her hair very tenderly. But that's not the way she sees it.


Or how simple parenting acts can drive you insane (1/3)

 

Responses

Join the conversation
t("newsletters.loading")
Loading...
I Spent College Pretending I Hadn't Read The Alchemist. But That Book Taught Me Everything About Finding My Voice.
I spent most of college pretending I hadn't read The Alchemist. I was surrounded by engineers — sharp, serious people who, if they read at all, read the heavy stuff. The stuff you don't feel embarrassed to say out loud. Dostoevsky. Camus. Moliére. You know, the fartsy fancy stuff of high literary circles. The kind of books you could leave spine-out on a desk, and people would think you were sm...
I Almost Did Drugs to Keep Track of My Writing Ideas. Then I Had a Midlife Crisis Instead.
  I Almost Did Drugs to Keep Track of My Writing Ideas. Then I Had a Midlife Crisis Instead. Maybe you are one of those writers obsessed with a single topic. That's all they ever want to write — one genre revolving around a central theme. Some of my favorite writers do this. Some of my friends do this, too. If that's you, maybe this is not for you. What I'm about to talk about is for the writer...
I Have Evidence. And When They Have Kids, I'm Using It.
Before my youngest could walk, she had already figured out the door. My youngest learned to run before she could run. We always knew she was full of energy. And it was clearest whenever I was about to leave the house with her sister. She would kick very hard in her bouncy. I couldn't wait to bring her with me on "adventures," which is what I call going with my daughters to run errands. Now I t...

The Storytelling Frame

I help you uncover and write your life’s stories so your legacy lives on with the people you love.
Footer Logo

The Story Frame

Newsletter Video About
© 2026 The Story Frame
Powered by Kajabi

Join Our Free Trial

Get started today before this once in a lifetime opportunity expires.