Parenting: The single hardest job you ever loved?

Summary: It's okay to feel inadequate. Just don't judge yourself and keep learning!

It looks easy, right?  Before you have children you see parents with their children and you say to yourself "I would never let my child:  

• go to the store dressed like that."
• run around playing tag in the supermarket."
• say those horrible things to me."  

Then we have our first child and for the first time we discover that the beloved child of ours, does in fact, have their own ideas about what to wear, what to eat, how to behave and how to respond to us.    Often we take those judgements we made about others and heap them on ourselves, falling into frustration, anger and despair.

Parent Alert!   It is hard enough to be a good parent without judgements and recriminations. Remind yourself that you don't need to judge anyone.  Including yourself.  

Being kind to yourself is a good start.  None of us are designed to be perfect.  Nor are we born with an internal parenting manual.  We are, however, designed to be learning machines.  Read a book, attend a lecture, go online, join a parenting group or find a parenting specialist.  Each of them will give you answers, confidence and the ability to deal more effectively with the next challenge your child will present.  And s/he will :).

Happy Parenting!