Slippery Slope

I realized today that my parenting gig is a slippery slope. As much as I want to get to the top and claim my rightful place of Parent of The World, my kids have a different plan for me and drag me down every time. Today I am facing the truth and I can admit that I am not a perfect parent I screw up, I say the wrong things (but think even worse), I cloddishly attempt to guide and protect my young charges and I even have the nerve to "Boss" them around, but everything I do, I do out of love.

 

As you see me slipping by, down the hill we parents charge up, keep in mind that there is no perfect. The standard for parenting is illusive at best and we are bombarded daily with endless suggestions on how to be better at something that is actually a moving target. Let's be honest, regardless of the odds of success, we believe every shovelful of these suggestions and attempt to put them into practice. Well, at least us "good" parents do, the rest of you have either given up or have stopped buying into this nonsense and are happy at the bottom of the hill where the stress level and the parenting propaganda are much less.

 

On my recent hunting and gathering of family heirlooms trip to New Orleans I stumbled across a photo that has left me reeling. All I could think when I saw this picture was, "Why did my Mom think this was a good idea?" I am certain that Mom was trying to take a generational photo, since the picture contains my Great Grandmother (seated) my Aunt Ellie (in the wheelchair), my Grandmother (standing, daughter of Great Grandma and mother to Ellie) and then finally me. I of course you notice right away because I am in rollers and a hairnet. I am very grateful the days of hairnets and rollers are over, especially after seeing this photo.



Somewhere around 1972 (Thanks a lot Mom, if thats your real name!)



I can only assume that my Mom was trying to preserve a family moment, which is what we parents do, but I believe she made an error in judgment when she had me pose in the background. On the other hand I am very much like my Mom and can see where she might have thought the whole thing quite funny. Here is where the lesson comes…I know better. I have learned from watching my own mother slip down the slope what works and does not work in parenting. I have gained immeasurable amounts of insight from my mother's mistakes with me and I can only hope that my own children will do the same. Mistakes whether they are your own or someone else's can be wonderful life lessons if you pay attention to them.

 Our schools are closed today because of freezing rain so I have the whole day with my youngest children to practice my parenting. I have no doubt I will race up the parenting hill and slide back down several times before the day is through, but if I am lucky I may hit the jack pot and get something right. If nothing else I will boss them around, say the wrong thing and annoy my children and as I slide down the slippery parenting slope I will yell, "But remember I LOVE YOU!"