I remember as a child thinking that my parents were like superheros. They seemed to be invincible, all knowing, always rescuing others, couldn't be defeated by even the most evil forces. Looking back at that view, there is no wonder in my mind why I have held such high standards for myself as a parent. The fact of the matter is though, those are standards that no human could reach, and when I realized that one part of me was relieved, and the other part thought "that really sucks"! So I had to readjust my parenting goals just a little in order to make then reasonable and reachable. So what I have figured out so far, is this:
1. It is not my job to have all of the answers all of the time
2. It is okay for me to make mistakes as a parent as long as I am willing to recognize when it happens and say that I'm sorry. Hopefully I will learn not to make the same mistakes again.
3. It is not my job to protect my children from feeling hurt, disappointment, betrayal, or sadness, but it is my job to teach them how to cope with that hurt. Unfortunately, in this world everybody has to feel pain sometimes.
4. It is important to enjoy your kids and have relationship with them, not just maintain them. The more love and respect that you are able to give to them, the more they are able to pay it forward to others in the world.
5. It is okay for my kids to see me cry once in a while, just enough to let them know that it is okay to cry, and to show them how to pick up and move forward after you cry.
6. It is important to me to teach my kids how to be assertive in this world, to believe in their potential, and to listen to and trust their inner self to guide them.
This will be a continuous work in progress, as I am a continuous work in progress!
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