Southern Sayin' Of The Month

I live for the light of a full moon. -me

Friday, July 23, 2010

Perfect Parenting

A blogger I read regularly posted a response on her blog today to some very negative feedback she received after an interview she did on parents giving their children non-prescription medicine. After reading the article I felt that what she said was "rearranged" to be put into the context that made it sound the worst. But what got to me...really got to me...were the comments on the article. The comments were self righteous, rude, and ignorant.

I understand that no, you shouldn't drug your children, but it wasn't just that topic that was addressed by the respondents. They were commenting on motherhood. And according to these people, they were the perfect parents and had the answers to it all. I think as mothers we are too hard on ourselves.

When I became a mother I didn't know that one child would roll off the changing table into the laundry hamper. Or that I give the other a sucker before they were a year old just to keep the peace. I didn't know that one would strip down naked and color themselves and my couch orange with a Sharpie while I grabbed a few extra winks. Or that I'd even consider that one (at about 6 months) had broken their nose after a not so graceful swan dive off the couch...while I was watching them...from less than a foot away.

Mothers need to know that this crap happens to everyone. And if they say it doesn't then they are liars. We are human. We make mistakes. And they are children; they will push boundaries, take risks, and make their own mistakes. We just need to accept this and move on because there is no such thing as the perfect parent or the perfect child. If you spend your life chasing after the idea of being the perfect parent then you'll surely miss all the fun.

...and just to make you smile!
All images courtesy of Anne Taintor.



7 comments:

  1. Well said! I applaud all of you mother's out there and this was fresh perspective on the age old theory that not everyone is perfect. I love your honesty, we are all human. It's life.

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  3. Love it! And falling out of walmart buggies!!

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  4. It reminds me of the time I thought it was safe to take a nap. Then I woke up and found that juice and cereal had been poured onto the living room carpet. Arrgh! I can't even remember which of my kids did it. I reckon I'm getting old.

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  5. I won't be a mother for a good long time but, as a daughter, I applaud my mother for all the good times, mishaps, and memories along the way. I'm sure your children will do the same!

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  6. Whew whooo! Can you hear that? It's a round of applause from me to you! Well said, Misty! I'm with ya!

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  7. Perfect parenting requires a whole lot of patience and dedication to your children. One I hope to have when I have my own children someday.

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