{Parenting} The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly

Found on Pinterest | Original Source HERE

I think I shall memorize the above poem to remind me on how to parent when the going gets tough.  I just returned from an hour and half walk at sunset SOLO...if that gives you any indication to the kind of day I have had. I've been having a blast enjoying summer, thus the lack of blog posts. But summer also means long days with the little one, which I'm not necessarily use to since I work fulltime most of the year. I'm grateful that I have summers off (from teaching that is, because it is wedding season after all) but it just means a little adjusting for everyone involved at the start of the summer.

I have learned that I can set the tone for the day with Brooklyn...and unfortunately I was emotionally having a bad day. It's kinda like chumming the waters with raw meat and causing a feeding frenzy in shark waters. That's the visual that comes to mind. Not exactly safe! You are just prey and it's only a matter of time before you get eaten alive (parenting a toddler is much like teaching high schoolers...ha!). So tomorrow is an another day and I shall be ready to start anew.

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A few months back I shared another struggling blog post with parenting and I got lots of great and very supportive feedback from other mommies young and old. The best email came from my mother! I wanted to share it here because it's a wonderful thing to come full circle with your own mother. So the following are her words in response to this blog post (and I thank her for allowing me to share here on my blog)...

A Mother's Reflections

OK, now that you've heard from all your contemporaries, the old school will chime in! I'm so glad you heard from so many of your friends and relatives about your blog. You sounded desperate!!! My heart ached for you! It reminded me of my early days with my first child. Dr. Spock's infamous book on child rearing had come out and it was talked about by all the new mothers! I started to read it and was terrified. I just knew I was going to scar my child for life and knew w/o a doubt I was never going to be a good mother. Your Grandma Burke, who I lived with at the time, told me to burn the book and just DO whatever I needed to to meet the needs of my child and stop thinking everything to death. So, that was pretty much how I parented all of you. And, as I've admitted a number of times, I didn't feel I was a particularly good mother. But, the proof of the pudding is that all 5 of my children turned out to be amazing, loving, talented adults.

I don't believe anyone is capable of being the perfect parent. And, unfortunately, I believe parents today way over-think things. I like Grandma's philosophy: You just do!!! The toddler years will soon pass and B will be on to all the other phases of her growing up years -- all a challenge. I once received some advice about dealing with a strong-willed child which said don't break her spirit -- it will serve her well as an adult! That advice was absolutely right on. That child is an amazing adult that faces life head-on and accepts challenges and opportunities with a fierceness that amazes all who come in contact with her!

What will seal your fate as a parent will come when B is an adult and says, "Mom, you were a wonderful parent!" You just have to wait a while for those precious words! It makes all the agonizing worthwhile! Til then, just DO! The one and only question that matters about growing up is: Did you feel loved! And, my darling daughter, B will never have a doubt!

So, there you have it from one of the older generation!!! I couln't have been too terribly off the mark as a mom, cause I have you as proof of my success!

Thank you MOM so much for taking the time to write these words! I'm just constantly grateful that my blog can initiate dialogues with my friends & family...on topics that we may normally stray from. It is really becoming a great place for me to connect with so many of you, near and far. Thank you for taking the time to give me feedback and especially for relating with me in this crazy journey.