Emily Chan
Nowadays, there is a lot of pressure to be the perfect parent. But where did all this pressure come from? Is it mainly societal or self-imposed?
I would say it’s a pretty equal amount of both. Parents who are raising kids in this day and age have an abundance of advice coming at them from all directions–parenting blogs, books, social media influencers, the news, and not to mention, their own family members.
With so many resources available, it feels like you should have it all figured out. And when you don’t, you probably experience an insane amount of guilt and anxiety.
Every move you make feels like the wrong one, which gets you wondering if you’re even cut out for parenthood.
This is a reminder that although all the self-doubt comes from a place of love and concern, second-guessing yourself on a regular basis makes it even more of a challenge to care for your child properly.
When you’re being critical toward yourself, that negativity reflects outwardly onto your household, your spouse, and most importantly, your child.
You may catch yourself snapping at the kids more often and falling behind on housework, which is the total opposite of what you were aiming to do.
You see, consistently worrying about getting it right almost always ensures that you get it wrong. And by that, I mean setting unrealistic expectations of parenting you are unable to meet will lead to some major disappointment and feelings of failure.
But you simply can’t fail if you’re already doing your best. Show kindness to yourself and set smaller goals. You don’t need to wake up each morning planning to clean the entire house and cook fancy meals with all-organic ingredients.
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