My kiddo lost his eighth tooth yesterday while at school. He put the tooth on his night stand for the tooth fairy and fell asleep expectantly. When he woke up, the tooth was still there and he exclaimed, “the tooth fairy forgot me!” Oh yes, this is what happened at my house this morning. As he was in the bathroom, the “tooth fairy” was running through the house to get her rewards and shove them under his pillow. He had not yet looked there for the goodies! The tooth fairy totally forgot last night about the tooth on the night stand. YIKES! Between pick up from school, going to the library, homework, making dinner, sitting at soccer practice from 5:30-7:00pm, snacks after practice, shower, prayers and sleep; the tooth fairy’s brain was a little fried by the end of the night.
As Dr. Dobson says, parenting isn’t for cowards. I would also add that parenting isn’t going to be easy for those who struggle with perfectionism. Being a parent is a messy, messy job. Ask any mom or dad who has been hit with urine or poo while changing a diaper. Raising up an emotionally, physically and most importantly spiritually healthy human being is a huge task. We will make mistakes. Like the tooth fairy sleeping on the job.
We have to laugh at our adventures and misadventures as parents. If we can’t, it’s not going to be a fun journey for anyone involved, including our kiddos. We also must surround ourselves with supportive people who understand the ups and downs of parenthood. There is no time nor space in life for allowing a crowd of bystanders who have critical or mocking spirits. I am not alone in coming into contact with these types. The parents who must compare their little Susie or Johnny to your child. The types that secretly think they could do a better job than you are doing. The types that undermine your confidence in your parenting. Those types are not operating in a spirit from the Lord and unless they are willing to change, you will have to hit the eject button on them and quickly.
No, we don’t need critical family and or friends circling; just waiting for us to make mistakes so they can feel superior. Yes, we need loving caring people in our lives who will come and put their arm around our shoulder and give us a pep talk. We need people who can laugh with us at our missteps in parenting and laugh with us when our kids take missteps because believe me, both will happen.
Be encouraged today in your parenting. We may not be perfect, but we are perfect for the kids God has entrusted to us.