Sometimes I wonder if I'm doing this parenting thing right. Sometimes I think everyone should be required to take parenting classes while they're raising their kids. (That's going a little too far though.)
When my 3 year old is screaming at me and saying things like "what the hell is going on here?", I wonder.
I wonder if I let them watch too much tv.
I wonder if I let them have too much candy.
I wonder if I don't pay enough attention to them.
But then I realize that there are actually terrible people out there. There are people who lock their kids in closets. There are people who abuse their kids, physically and mentally.
There are kids out there who've been kidnapped, or worse.
I asked Hunter "who loves you Hunter?" and he said "Mommy and Daddy love me".
That's all I need to hear. (I will still wonder now and then, but I know as long as my kids know they're loved unconditionally I think they should be ok.)
(can you tell I recently spent a few too many hours watching Lifetime movies?)
Plus, I take my kids to the park once in a while.
Every couple of days since Ciara was old enough to answer (and a few times before then) I ask her "Ciara, who loves you the most?"...and she always gleefully shouts "Mama!". Then, we go through the whole list of people who love her almost as much as I do.
ReplyDeleteI also make sure to give her a kiss and tell her that I love her every single time I put her in her car seat.
Whatever my faults may be, at least I can find comfort in the knowledge that she knows she is loved.
She recently started telling me that I am her best friend too. If that doesn't warm your heart, I don't know what will.
That is cute. Love is all that matters, right?
ReplyDeleteI love the "go ask grandma" shirt.
I just wanted to tell you that I could have written this exact post word for word. I get down on myself a lot for not being a better parent, but I always find comfort in knowing that there are way worse parenting examples out there. Hopefully I'm not screwing them up too terribly.
ReplyDeleteI think a lot of mothers, if not all of them, worry about this. We are oh so hard on ourselves - we know when we haven't done EVERYTHING right, we guilt ourselves easily. But I'm sure you must be a good mother - look how adorable and happy your children look. Those pictures are beautiful and I think they prove you must be doing something right. :)
ReplyDeleteI give myself a hard time about this too frequently but you're right compared to plenty of parents we are doing a terrific job.
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