Thinkin' Thursday -- On all things PARENT
I don't know about you, but I tend to fall for the Facebook posts about "motherhood" or "being a mom" or "things not to do as a mom" or "reasons this type of mom is ruining things for the rest of us." Thoughtfully, I read through these posts, and inevitably, I close the post/article/torture device with a feeling of inadequacy, or worse, in tears.
As a mom of two, who works, who all-too-often forgets one of a hundred things during the school year, and who does not have a calendar chock full of daily activities for my children during the summer so they aren't bored, I want to share something with you, something vital for your sanity (and your wine budget):
It's a common quote that's circulated about life, but I think it applies to parenting. Want to know why? Because most of us are working our asses off to do the parenting thing. We are trying so very hard to juggle all that comes with that title in a Pinterest world, where success is measured not by how well your children are doing in school, how happy he/she/it (yes, I said it, because some of them are its), but by the organic label on your kids' snacks, how crafty your Valentines are, and whether or not your children are dressed head to toe in Matilda Jane or some other label.
*deep breath*
Okay, that didn't help, because I'm still going to say this: NONE OF THAT MATTERS.
I do the organic thing for my family and have for a long, long time, so I'm not going to suggest that organic isn't important. But what's more important? Balancing healthy food with fun foods. My kids eat plenty of cake and ice cream and Starbursts--goodness, the Starbursts.
I'm also not going to argue that crafting with your children isn't important, because I love doing craft with my kids. But here's the thing: you aren't in competition with the rest of the moms every single holiday. And on that same note, if you love putting your children in expensive, cute clothes, go for it! But don't do it when your children hate them just to keep up with someone else. For the record, 50-75% of my kids' clothes come from Target, so, yeah.
And about summer and that insane calendar, I'm here to tell you something else: IT'S OKAY IF KIDS ARE BORED.
There, I said it. Kids need to learn to imagine and create and build little worlds that only they can see. That isn't going to happen if we throw them into some activity every second of every day for all of summer, because didn't you know that Carrie's kids are in X camp and Sarah's kids are in Y camp?
So when you're feeling like you don't measure up and you're failing at all things MOM or DAD, just remember that if you are hugging your kids every day, telling them you love them, and offering support and appropriate boundaries, YOU ARE A STELLAR PARENT. You are succeeding at being the best version of you, which is enough.
Today, tomorrow, forever--it's enough.
I don't know about you, but I tend to fall for the Facebook posts about "motherhood" or "being a mom" or "things not to do as a mom" or "reasons this type of mom is ruining things for the rest of us." Thoughtfully, I read through these posts, and inevitably, I close the post/article/torture device with a feeling of inadequacy, or worse, in tears.
As a mom of two, who works, who all-too-often forgets one of a hundred things during the school year, and who does not have a calendar chock full of daily activities for my children during the summer so they aren't bored, I want to share something with you, something vital for your sanity (and your wine budget):
It's a common quote that's circulated about life, but I think it applies to parenting. Want to know why? Because most of us are working our asses off to do the parenting thing. We are trying so very hard to juggle all that comes with that title in a Pinterest world, where success is measured not by how well your children are doing in school, how happy he/she/it (yes, I said it, because some of them are its), but by the organic label on your kids' snacks, how crafty your Valentines are, and whether or not your children are dressed head to toe in Matilda Jane or some other label.
*deep breath*
Okay, that didn't help, because I'm still going to say this: NONE OF THAT MATTERS.
I do the organic thing for my family and have for a long, long time, so I'm not going to suggest that organic isn't important. But what's more important? Balancing healthy food with fun foods. My kids eat plenty of cake and ice cream and Starbursts--goodness, the Starbursts.
I'm also not going to argue that crafting with your children isn't important, because I love doing craft with my kids. But here's the thing: you aren't in competition with the rest of the moms every single holiday. And on that same note, if you love putting your children in expensive, cute clothes, go for it! But don't do it when your children hate them just to keep up with someone else. For the record, 50-75% of my kids' clothes come from Target, so, yeah.
And about summer and that insane calendar, I'm here to tell you something else: IT'S OKAY IF KIDS ARE BORED.
There, I said it. Kids need to learn to imagine and create and build little worlds that only they can see. That isn't going to happen if we throw them into some activity every second of every day for all of summer, because didn't you know that Carrie's kids are in X camp and Sarah's kids are in Y camp?
So when you're feeling like you don't measure up and you're failing at all things MOM or DAD, just remember that if you are hugging your kids every day, telling them you love them, and offering support and appropriate boundaries, YOU ARE A STELLAR PARENT. You are succeeding at being the best version of you, which is enough.
Today, tomorrow, forever--it's enough.
Comments
Post a Comment