halrunkel
If you’re in search of the right thing to do at the right time, every time, when it comes to your kids, I have some sobering news for you. Parents never “arrive”. You will never get to a place where you know how to do all things perfectly when it comes to your kids.
Why is that? For starters, your children are constantly growing through one stage and onto the next. Just when you think you’ve gotten one phase of life in hand, they enter another. But there’s another reason that goes far deeper than that.
I firmly believe that you aren’t supposed to “arrive” at parenting perfection. Parenting is supposed to be difficult so that we can learn just as much from this whole adventure as our kids do.
You see, what’s cool about this practice we call parenting is just that, the practice. I know many of you get frustrated when we can’t tell you exactly what to do. Trust me, there have been many occasions when I wanted nothing more than a step by step, how-to guide for all those testy situations I find myself in on a daily basis.
Problem is, there isn’t one. Pat answers only go so far before they become pat-ronizing. What really matters in relationships is the process, the revelation, the growth, not the outcome. If you can realize that every interaction with your child is really a chance for your own growth, you will find yourself more capable to handle whatever comes your way.
“What is important is to keep learning, to enjoy challenge, and to tolerate ambiguity. In the end there are no certain answers.” (Martina Horner)
Peace begins with a pause,
Hal
