Skip to main content

Parenting Has Many Faces

Parenting is beautiful. It is middle of the day, just because hugs. It is art projects brought home that say, “I love you.” It is watching and helping them achieve milestones. It is playing together, laughing together and creating memories together.

Parenting is ugly. It is middle of Home Depot tantrums because the child is B-O-R-E-D bored and hungry and you have been there for 1.78 hours, in the same part of the store. It is discipling the child because they need to know that disrespecting their elders is not ok. It is getting them to admit the truth when they’ve been telling a lie. It is finding 4 week old milk under their bed. It is cleaning up diaper blowouts in the middle of a road trip. It is praying they get back on the straight and narrow when they’ve veered off and become “wild”

Parenting is mundane. It is helping them write their anchor (spelling) words 3 times each, figuring out the new math or helping with the dreaded science fair project. It is singing the same song 30 times to get them to sleep. It is reading the same book over and over knowing you are helping their literacy but really you can’t stand the story and “WHY CAN’T YOU PICK A DIFFERENT BOOK?” you scream (in your head, not at them).

Parenting is day in and day out. It is cooking a healthy dinner EVERY night (with the occasional splurge) even after working all day. It is packing lunches, doing laundry and picking up what others in the house can’t seem to see, even though NO ONE IN HERE IS BLIND! It is playing chauffer to all the back and forths of school, church, doctor, sports, clubs and friends.

Parenting is scary. It is 104* fevers that won’t come down. It is a hacking barking cough that sounds like a death cough. It is calls from the doctor saying, “We need to talk.” It is watching junior climb 40 feet up a tree, or ask to jump off the roof. It is checking on who they are spending time with, wondering why cars only have 1 seat belt per seat and not a Michelin Man suit. It is calls from the school principal in the middle of the day.

So often on Social Media, Mass Media and life in general we glamorize parenting. Parenting is the most wonderful, stressful job and amazing job. Yet, we need to be honest with each other. We are not perfect parents, and our children are not perfect children. Parenting day to day in the trenches raising up future adults into hopefully upstanding citizens. If you are having troubles, your child just embarrassed the heck out of you or you are calling military schools for an immediate enrollment, just know that you are far from alone. Our Social Media pictures may be all pretty but our lives with our children are just as messy.


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

My Heart Walked Down the Sidewalk

I didn't snap a photo.  Which is abnormal for me.  I take 8 gazillion photos because 5 concussions leaves marks.  They have affected my memory. I have memories but I have blank areas too. Things that normal people remember but I don't.  I use pictures too help. Today I walked with Snowflake to school.  At the edge of the neighborhood/ start of the school property I let her walk on by herself as I watched. She looked so small yet so confident walking to the playground.  My little girl, walking to school.  Growing up.  It wasn't just any kid walking on that sidewalk, it was my heart. Today it struck me just how quickly she is growing up now that she is in school. Things are changing.  It is good and it is natural.  I want her to be strong and independent. I want her to have confidence. I want her to enjoy this phase of life. Yet, that is my baby. I know her fears and worries. I know what bothers her.  I know what is behind the...
Post a Comment
Read more

A Daddy

Last night as we were praying my Snowflake asked, "Jesus bring me a daddy please?" It is a prayer I have heard often and one that makes me want to weep. She knows and will tell people that God is her Abba, her Father, but my sweet girl longs for a daddy.  She has a great Papa (my Dad) and an adopted Grandpa Gary. There are great male role models in her life, but she wants a dad. That is something I haven't been able to provide for her.  I was almost engaged earlier but I realized that I was doing it for the wrong reasons and with the wrong man. She will only get her deepest prayer if it is for the right reasons: 1. He loves Jesus 2. He loves me and Snowflake 3. God gives me peace.  With everything we have been through I have to approach this with my eyes wide open. I want to find my mate.  I loved being married. Marriage is a great institution, but I will be careful and my husband will be a man of God.  It will be a good union.  So, Snowflake will h...
Post a Comment
Read more

My Gift

In so many ways this child is my "mini-me", but in just as many other ways we are vastly different. It has been fun to watch her grow and become Snowflake.  To see her interests and hobbies emerge. Just like her Mom, she loves comfy & cuddly clothes at night. This outfit sums up her personality.  Fun with flair and cozy.  Exciting and comforting. While I gravitate more toward Peanuts, Pooh Bear and Calvin and Hobbes, Snowflake chooses: My Little Pony, Shopkins and Paw Patrol. We both agree on the awesomeness of the Berenstain Bears. I have always wanted to be a mom.  As a kid I pictured myself as a stay at home mom and wife.  We would have 3 kids, 2 dogs and 1 cat. Once the kids were all in school I would either be a substitute teacher or a counselor working from home. My reality is not what I pictured, dreamed of and prayed for.  My daughter spent her early years in daycare. My ex is in prison for life and our family is: Mom, daughter and 2 c...
Post a Comment
Read more