It is heartening to remember what should be obvious but isn’t in our era of “Get it perfect” parenting. We don’t have to be perfect. In fact, no one is. And if kids NEEDED perfect parents, there would be no humans.
So enjoy this video sent to us by the philosopher and commenter Donald Christensen, who runs the enlightening blog, onmysoapboxx.com.
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7 Comments
I totally agree with the sentiment of being “good enough.” Too many people drive themselves, and those around them, crazy in their quest to achieve perfection, which, of course, doesn’t exist. Admittedly, given that I have a Master’s in Clinical Psychology with a strong interest in parenting issues, I used to beat myself up every time I behaved in a way with my children that I knew wasn’t “by the (parenting) book.” It took me a while to figure out that one’s emotions play a significant role in how one disciplines the little darlings, which is why I would stray from what I knew was not the best way to deal with their misbehaviour. My kids are now 15 and 17, and I think I’ve almost got it figured out!
As long as you remember do what best for the kids but don’t forget reality says we can’t always get everything our way we should be fine. Schools want play in loco parent but forget rule one of being a parent is the kids best interests come first. If schools are scared of being sued then I say pull your pants up and stand up to the crazies. As for whether or not your kid get an ivy league school do they actually need an ivy league school to do good in school?
I love this concept. I have been coming to the same realisation. I would love my kids to become engineers, and do well, but you know what I would love even more…. For them to take a job near me, to be able to see them every day for the rest of my life (or near abouts), to see my grandkids-to-be every day (or near about), to sit still and enjoy a cup of tea on the front verandah and not feel like I need to achieve anything.
Nice!
I am fatigued by people who “want it all” and need to be running 100% 100% of the time.
Good enough is indeed good enough!
It’s easy for to become so focused on something that tunnel vision sets in. This video is a good example. It’s good to encourage children to thrive. This is a good thing. However, some lose the plot and do too much of a good thing. encouragement develops into the pushy parent and can develop further into a constant fight. This results in rebellion
I heard a study being discussed on the radio recently that said your typical/average parents feel guilty 23 times a week and 25% of those surveyed second guess every decision they make due to the pressure they feel the be a “perfect parent”.
It’s complete and total bull shit! I’m not saying what the pressure parents feel is BS, but most likely the expert culture they are buying into is complete bull shit. There is no such thing as an expert when it comes to children and/or parenthood.
I read a couple blogs on the matter and parents were saying they thought 23 times a week was low and they took second guessing to an extreme.
Of course the hot take of some was questioning helicopter/authoritarian parenting is doing the damage, as opposed to others having their kids removed by authoritarians for not being helicopter parents. You can’t expect to never be questioned, but you can learn to tune out the chorus of relentless voices that try to tell you how to live every moment of your life. Parents are not the only ones subjected to this. It consumed every aspect of life, down to what you should and shouldn’t say, do, eat, Think and feel as a politically correct and morally superior person.
PS- Don’t buy and eat burritos from white women with a food truck in Portland lest you be a food appropriating parent promoting white food supremacy to your child who was born racist and will die racist because of their skin color. K?
Maybe parents of millennial should feel shame.