I grew up with Matt Lauer.

For over a decade, he was on my television every morning, the first person I woke up to every day, and the most important part of my morning routine. He was the reason I left home prepared for the day and the world.

I didn't know him personally, but it sure felt like it.

He was a good person.

That's why, when I woke up to the news that he had been fired, I was in tears.

I loved him.

And my brain just couldn't process the accusations.

How could such a good person do something so terrible?

My emotions were raw and completely visible. So when my 4 year old triplets asked me "Why are you sad, Mom?" I had to figure out what to say.

As a mom raising children with emotional intelligence, it is always my priority to explain my emotions, the reasons behind them, and how I plan on processing them. This has been one of the foundations of how I have raised tantrum free triplets.

My kids expect this information from me, even when I'm not always ready to give it.

After sharing the age appropriate details, I still have a question I can't answer.

Is Matt Lauer a good person who did a bad thing or is he now a bad person? And how do I explain similar situations to my kids in the future.

I am a positive person and always seek out the good in people. My initial reaction was to teach them that everyone is good and sometimes people do bad things or make bad decisions. But then I tried applying the logic to other situations.

Is a person who steals a good person who stole? Or a bad person?

Is a person who kills a good person who did something terrible? Or a terrible person?

Are there shades of gray?

And how do I, as a parent, shape the thinking of my child in a way that will protect them in the future.

I don't have any answers yet, do you?