When your toddler giggles, you feel his joy. When your school-age child is sad or lonely or frustrated, you feel his pain. When your teen experiences her first broken heart, your heart breaks with her.
Your own kid has a way of tugging at your mood like nobody else.
A new study shows that this is especially true when a child has attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. In those cases, the connection between a mother's mood and her child's behavior is often so intertwined that mom ends up on an emotional roller coaster -- on edge and constantly worrying. In other words, a kid who acts out leaves mom constantly stressed out.
That's because watching your child struggle is one of the most stressful experiences a mother can endure.
How do you keep your own emotions in check when your child is having behavior problems? Share your words of wisdom with other moms below, in our Facebook comments.