The perfect parent… is that a thing? I grew up in an age of skinned knees and where a cast was a prized trophy to bring in to class to have all friends and crushes alike sign. Parents weren’t judged by other parents because of little things and titles of gluten-free, organic and helicopter parenting weren’t things. We were the generation who stayed out until the street lights turned on, the ones who didn’t worry about what we ate or what we did as long as we had fun.
We grew up though and today in this day and age were all striving to be the perfect parent. We want our kids to do well and sometimes I think we forget that they’re still kids. We are all striving for a perfection that doesn’t exist because the truth is we all make mistakes.
I am a parent, I’m a single mum of three beautiful kids that I would give my life for without hesitation. I’m not perfect I have my good days and I have my bad and balance is something to strive for but not always achievable. If I spend all my time focusing on the kids then sometimes my dishes don’t get done until 11 or sometimes 12 at night.
I think recently though I’ve come to realize that I really don’t want to be a perfect parent I want to be the parent that gets down on the ground and pretends to be a Triceratops or will bust out her best hip hop dance moves in the middle of a Walmart super center simply because my four year old asked me to.
At the end of the day your kids don’t remember that you bought organic or how perfect something was they remember silly little songs you made up together, the times you stomped around as the infamous “Mombie” determines to give them kisses and suck their brains out with a straw.
In truth as long as you try everyday through the sick days, head lice, and heartbreaks and as long as you provide your kids with a safe, loving and comfortable household you are the perfect parent and in the end that’s what they’ll remember.
Mommy Dearest 