Recently, a friend of mine showed me a bumper sticker that read, “Proud Parent of a Fantastic Kid Who Occasionally Acts Like a Jerk, and That’s Alright.” I absolutely loved it! When I got home, I couldn’t resist looking it up online. Not that I would actually buy one—my kids wouldn’t be too thrilled about me labeling them as jerks in public. But as I searched, I stumbled upon a whole collection of “Proud Parent” stickers, including:
- Proud Parent of a Kind Child
- Proud Parent of a Homeschool Honor Student
- Proud Parent of Amazing Children
- Proud Parent of a Gifted Kid
- Proud Parent of a Child With Strong Values
- Proud Parent of My Star Student
- Proud Parent of Generous Kids
Honestly, I’m sure all those parents displaying these stickers genuinely believe they have wonderful kids. But I can’t help but feel like they’re the same ones who give me disapproving looks in stores when my kids decide to have a mini meltdown over a beanbag chair. Some of you reading this might be thinking, “Can’t you control them? Do you ever discipline them? Your kids must walk all over you. You seem more like a friend than a parent!”
And on that last point, you might have a point.
It’s not that I don’t put in the effort. Sometimes it feels like I spend my entire day trying to teach my kids not to act like little jerks. Yet, there are days when I realize that nobody was a jerk at all. Just the other day, one of my little troublemakers hugged a random stranger at a nursing home. I could tell he was hesitant, but she was so sweet and asked nicely, so he probably felt it was the right thing to do. Then, there was the incident with the beanbag chair, where apparently that was the right action for the moment. The truth is, sometimes my kids can be jerks, and so can yours.
Everyone Has Their Moments
Here’s the reality: Everyone has their moments of being a jerk. Everyone! If someone doesn’t find you a jerk at a certain moment, there’s always someone else who will. It’s just part of being human, and there’s no reason to panic about it. I’m sure even great figures like Gandhi or Abraham Lincoln had their off days. It’s simple: being human = occasional jerk.
And kids are no different.
What I really want to express is that I’m tired of driving behind cars that display stickers about “Kind Kids With Good Values” while mine are in the backseat making silly faces at each other. I’m worn out worrying that my child’s misbehavior reflects on my parenting. I’ve read one too many articles and seen countless parents who seem to say, “You’re doing it wrong, but here’s how to fix it.” Most of all, I’m exhausted from judging myself based on what I think others are thinking, even when they’re not.
But who am I kidding? I don’t stress too much about that stuff. I just wish I could find that bumper sticker because, let’s face it, my kids can be little jerks sometimes—just like yours.
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Summary
This article humorously discusses the challenges of parenting and acknowledges that all kids can have their difficult moments. The author reflects on the pressure parents feel from societal expectations while embracing the reality that misbehavior is part of growing up. Ultimately, it encourages a more relaxed perspective on parenting, recognizing that everyone has off days.