Parents and Parents-to-Be

Grooving out, yet again, to “Let It Go” while driving my little one to school when I hear something behind me. I turn around briefly and see milk mayhem; the sippy cup exploded!

“Here we go again!” The last time it was the infamous blue marker incident.

When we arrive, we’re already late. I assess the damage and realize this is far worse than “project de-Smurf.” I rush to change my daughter into a slightly dirty t-shirt that was left in the backseat and squeeze the milk out of her shorts.

“I can’t wear those! They’re wet,” she tearfully cries to me.

“Fine! I will go ask the teacher if they have a pair of shorts!” I yell. I march off, leaving my little one crying, only to realize she isn’t following me. I quickly pivot to return to the car when I see Ms. Perfect Mom on her way out from dropping her Perfect Child off. SMH!

Perfect Mom has seen the whole drama!

“Can I help?” she asks innocently, and I sheepishly ask if she has a change of bottoms I can borrow. She nods enthusiastically while casting a concerned look toward my daughter who’s still crying a few feet away.

“You better look after her; I will be right back,” she says. Her tone somehow sounding apologetic to my little one and judgmental of me.

I try to console my child as we wait for the spare clothes. Somehow, I get her into class and then rush back to my car as quickly as possible to avoid bursting into tears.

“I’m a bad parent! I’m incompetent, lazy, disorganized, mean, and inept! Why does this have to be so hard?!? Why am I the only one who can’t get my act together?!?” I berate myself while having another cry in the car.

The “Good Enough” Parent

Parenting is a juggling act that exhausts the best of us! We experience the new demands placed upon our psyches well before our child ever even arrives in the world. The helpful “advice,” more overt judgments, demands on our time and energy, and reliving of our own childhood unfold the moment we are expecting.

It’s easy to feel overwhelmed and not good enough. We try to be everything for our kids and shifting from wearing one hat to another means that we occasionally derail.

It’s easy to feel profoundly alone and incapable in those moments, and sometimes it’s hard to ask for or even find the support needed to re-organize and recenter. Therapy can be a space to clear our minds and reflect on ourselves, holistically. We can examine our approach to parenting and go back to the trenches with renewed vigor, strategies, and resilience.

Finding ways to survive and thrive in parenthood, we rebalance our identity and truly lead by example with our children. Let us help you stay the course.

Call (323) 345-1402 to make an appointment today!