Need some parenting encouragement? Read this.
Why are we so hard on ourselves as parents?
Perhaps it’s because we sense the sheer enormity of raising a human being from infancy to adulthood. We feel like our children arrive to us like lumps of clay, and it’s up to us to sculpt the next masterpiece.
We look around to see how other parents are handling their material. We’re clearly doing better than some — and that’s a relief — but other parents seem like Michelangelo reincarnated, crafting the next “David.” How will our kids look standing next to such perfection? And what will others think of us, the parents that molded them?
“Before I got married I had six theories about raising children; now, I have six children and no theories.” — John Wilmot, English poet (1647-1680)
If you’re feeling all of this self-imposed pressure, you deserve a break from it. That’s why we’re issuing our parents some permission passes.
You have permission to have fun without your kids. Go to your book club, go on that date, go on that girls’ trip.
You have permission to let them have a little more technology time.
You have permission to eat chicken nuggets or order pizza … again.
You have permission to say no. To obligations, to volunteering requests, to meetings, to your kids.
You have permission to lock the door to the bathroom. (Eat a piece of chocolate while you’re in there. It might not be sanitary, but whatever.)
You have permission to enjoy going to work.
You have permission to pat yourself on the back for the areas where you’re doing great.
You have permission not to clean up every mess today.
You have permission to ____________________________ (you get to fill in the blank)
You have permission to find your tribe and ask them for help and advice. Also, laughter.
You have permission to let go of perfection.
You have permission to learn from it and move on.
You have permission to forgive yourself.
You have permission to start tomorrow fresh.
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