As a dedicated parent, I consider myself quite capable. In fact, I believe I excel in my role, mainly because I’ve set my expectations at a reasonable level. Both of my children are thriving—alive, happy, healthy, and making strides in their education. Beyond that, I simply don’t have the bandwidth to fret over the finer details.
So, how do you measure up? You may indeed be a more proficient parent than I if:
- Your morning greeting to your children is “Good morning, my loves,” rather than “Ugh, it’s too early; go find something to do.”
- You serve them a nutritious, homemade breakfast each day, instead of handing them a banana and juice because you’re running behind.
- You can style their hair without causing them any discomfort.
- You can complete the laundry—washing, drying, ironing (if that’s still a thing), and putting it all away—in a single day.
- You manage to compartmentalize your thoughts, focusing on work at work and your children at home.
- Your meals consist of more than just whatever leftovers your child didn’t finish.
- You don’t chuckle at your child’s adorable mispronunciations (like “boobies” instead of “blueberries,” which I find particularly delightful).
- You readily share treats, like chocolate, with your little ones.
- You can endure an entire Disney movie without succumbing to the urge to check your phone or social media.
- You don’t rush through bath time and have mastered washing hair without a meltdown.
- Your child’s art supplies are better organized than your own wine collection.
- Their masterpieces are systematically stored in a binder instead of randomly taped to the fridge or tossed in the trash.
- You never find yourself resorting to Tupperware when you run out of kid-friendly plates at dinner time.
- Your fridge isn’t a glaring reminder of the many tin foil-covered leftovers you plan to make your kids eat the next day.
- You never allow your children to skip brushing their teeth, even when you’re exhausted and just want them in bed.
- You don’t fist-pump and whisper “Yes!” five minutes after bedtime, knowing they are finally asleep.
- You don’t dash downstairs to pour yourself a glass of wine before even exchanging greetings with your partner who just got home.
- You actually plan out your dinner menu instead of improvising with whatever you pulled from the freezer (which may or may not be a mysterious pink lump) and the few fridge items that are about to expire.
- You have fresh potatoes in your kitchen that haven’t sprouted, and your peeler is in working order.
- You set a timer for dinner rather than relying on the smell to tell you when it’s done.
- After dinner, you and your spouse engage in a meaningful dialogue that doesn’t go like this: “How was your day?” “Fine. Yours?” “Good. I’m heading to bed.” “Me too.”
See? It’s clear that you’re a capable parent, too.
For those interested in exploring more about family planning and home insemination, consider checking out this informative resource on pregnancy week by week at March of Dimes. If you’re looking for tools to assist with home insemination, BabyMaker offers a variety of options. For more insights, you can read about different techniques at Intracervical Insemination.
In summary, being a parent is a unique journey filled with both challenges and joys. Each of us has our own strengths and weaknesses, but the ultimate goal is to nurture our children in the best way we can.