Coping With The Bad Mom Days

Nobody is a perfect parent, so don't beat yourself up when you have a 'bad mom' day. Parenting challenges are normal and you can use them to learn and grow as a parent.

You'd never know it by looking around your playgroup or drop in, but everyone has those days when you do or say things that make you feel like a bad mom or dad. In public we all bring out our best parenting skills and try to look like we know what we're doing. Parents, especially moms, are expected to be pillars of patience, saintly fountains of kindness and the firm hand of guidance all at the same time. The truth beneath those saintly pictures is that we're all making it up as we go along, and making do with the time, energy, money and parenting skills we've got right now.

Since I blogged about imperfect parenting last week I've been thinking about what it means to have shortcomings as a parent. To spank, even though you think you shouldn't. To be too strict, or not strict enough. To pressure, bribe or deceive your child in order to change their behavior. Or just being too busy, distracted, spaced out, depressed or focused on your own needs and wants to be engaged with your child.

Your imperfections as a parent are as unique and different as everything else about your personality. Everyone's got shortcomings, and everyone has 'bad mom' days. Instead of striving for perfection, try to recognize and learn from your moments of imperfection. Nobody's perfect, so don't beat yourself up on your bad days. Ask yourself how you'd like to be different the next time, recognize that and keep on truckin'.