The pause isn’t about a plan; it’s about activating your parasympathetic nervous system (which calms down your buttons) and giving yourself a little time and space to calm those buttons down. Walk to the other side of the room, take a deep breath, put your hands flat on the kitchen counter and trace your fingers. Do whatever it takes to stay in the pause, because that’s where you’re going to find the answer to the eternal parenting question: What the hell do I do now? The answer is simple: Literally Anything Else.
