Failure and Parenting

I've been thinking a lot lately about parenting. I'm a perfectionist, so for me parenting is just another challenge to conquer.

Or is it? I've read the popular parenting books. I went through a phase when I couldn't put them down. And I couldn't stop thinking about parenting. Which is back to where I started...

But the books didn't answer my big question as of late. They tell us all about what we should do and how to avoid being a bad parent. How to analyze our own childhood and own parents, to make sure we avoid those mistakes.

So I have embraced the challenge, conquering parenting. And of course, I fail everyday. What is it about this part of life that seems unsurmountable? The books tell you everything you should have to do, right?

Wrong.

My question is, what will I fail at with parenting? I can't be perfect, I will fall short on some aspect or lots of aspects. (Hopefully not the latter.) God doesn't call us to be perfect, but sometimes the Christian life seems to call us to that. If we just did this better or tried doing that, etc...

You've heard it all too. What is it we will fail at?

So I've decided that I need to figure out what it is that I will be no good at with parenting. Maybe if I hone in on that, I won't be so disappointed when I do fail. I can quit the disillusion that I'll be better than others around me, or I won't make the same mistakes of those before me.

Almost like we are lead to believe that bad parenting is a disease, we just need the right shot in the arm to make the bad stuff go away. But sin will never go away, at least not here.

So I will stay on my journey, every day it will challenge me. And I will keep thinking about what I should fail at. Only to push me to love my kids more.

And to love God more.

 

Comments

[Joy redwine]

Anna, you are a very good mom. No one is perfect so don't even think about that part (failure). just enjoy when things are good and know the not so good will pass also...p.s. No kids are perfect either ut yours are very sweet.

[Tava Chandler]

From my perspective looking back, I would have thrown out all parenting books, all advice not based on scripture. I would have prayed more and spent more time in the word. The things I am SO glad I did were to love their Daddy with all my heart, homeschool and show them the joys of serving with the local church. I think I would also have said "I was sorry and I was wrong" more often.