SHELLEY HEAPHY for The Parents’ Voice
Okay, so looking through my previous EQUITY article titles I saw that I wrote this article one week before COVID-19 rocked our whole world upside down last year. How funny to think . . .
we needed to hear this before the world came to a crashing halt. Boy, do we need to remind ourselves of this again now.
So, here are a few gentle reminders to each of us at how hard we’re working at being moms and dads, especially this year with online learning, working from home, losing jobs and all the other things that have gone horribly wrong.
Reminders
You don’t have to kill yourself trying to do every single thing you see or think you should do, and they’ll still love you – thanks social media for the extra pressure.
You don’t have to buy them every new toy of the season, and they’ll still love you.
You don’t have to manage every moment of their time, and they’ll still love you. You can lose your patience, and they’ll still love you.
You can go out of the house alone, and they’ll still love you.
You can order in one night, and they’ll still love you.
You can let them be bored and they’ll still love you.
You can make a mistake, and they’ll still love you.
You can withhold treats, and they’ll still love you.
You can give them a sibling, and they’ll still love you.
You can leave them at daycare and they’ll still love you.
You can forget crazy hair day, and they’ll still love you.
You can go to work, and they’ll still love you.
You can say no, and they’ll still love you.
You can make them do online learning, and they’ll still love you.
You can be the least technologically savvy, and they’ll still love you.
You can make them take a break from technology, and they’ll still love you.
You can keep them home, and they’ll still love you.
With our community turning to online learning this past week, I thought it was an opportune time to remind parents and grandparents that even though the times are going to be challenging in the next few weeks – you are enough.
This list serves as a reminder that we are not perfect. No one is, but we are enough. We are who they need when they’re sad, happy, mad, confused, excited, grumpy … We have good days, we have bad days, we are normal just like them. The next time you feel like you’re not enough, remember these words or at the very least, remember that while you’re worrying about not being enough, they’re thinking about how you are the most important person in their life. Give a shout out to another mom friend, remind her that she’s enough. We’ve got this.
Don’t forget to check out our contest on our Facebook page, The Parents’ Voice Shawville. We have four prizes up for grabs. Send us a picture of you and your family cleaning up your community and be entered to win a prize. One entry per family, contest closes Saturday, April 24, draw takes place Sunday, April 25.
