What To Do

Take a breath, go for a run or to the gym

Determine an email’s or voicemail’s main concern and respond to that; let everything else go

Write a first draft and walk away; then read it several hours later and see what you need to edit from your response

Remember your children and their needs

Sleep on it

Ask a trusted friend how they would respond to what you’ve written

Store email exchanges securely (so that children can’t accidentally read them)