Experts

Many times my kids behavior will ebb and flow between being angels and being in beast mode. There are times that I am rather proud of myself for raising such fine young men. Then there are other times that I am pretty sure my kids will end up in intensive therapy or on America's Most Wanted List. Oftentimes when I find myself during the latter moments, I will consult 'the experts'. By 'the experts' I mean online resources, such as blogs, articles, and parenting websites.

Just the other day I was reading one where the author feels rather strongly that you shouldn't tell your children 'no'. You should use positive parenting. As I was reading, it made a lot of sense, and I started feeling worse and worse about my own parenting. Then I read a different article that said when your child is crying you shouldn't walk away from them. It makes them feel abandoned. Oops. Put another coin in the counseling fund.

I began to mentally berate myself for failing yet again as a mother, but then it dawned on me. Who the hell are these people and what makes them an expert? Any schmo can create a blog (this one is a point in case)! How do I know this person isn't plunking her kids in front of a video game as she types up all these ideas of how to be a better parent? Even Dr. Spock, who was an accredited parenting guru, raised kids who hated him.

There is no one answer. There is no one right way. I can continue to read everyone's advice because it does cause me to think about my parenting, but I will no longer let it make me feel bad. Nobody is perfect and nobody parents perfectly. As long as I keep trying to be the best mom I can be, that is what matters. Besides, if my kids end up on America's Most Wanted, I can blame my husband!