Parenting is a beautiful adventure. Parenting is reading books more times in a row than you thought humanly possible. It is listening to stories retold 3453 times while mopping the floors as new dirt is being dragged in at the same time. Parenting is never having access to a phone charger because the kids move them, finding toothpaste in places you never even thought about cleaning, and a constantly empty roll of toilet paper. Parenting is also sweet talks, seeing the world in a brilliant new way, and the greatest hugs. Parenting is being prouder of another person than you have ever been of yourself, breaking up the dumbest (seriously dumbest) fights, and saying things you swore you never would.
Sometimes parenting is sitting on the kitchen floor with a kid that ran in crying about harsh words spoken to her. Parenting is not always convenient but it is so worth it.
My sweet girl was upset about something that happened while she was outside playing and came running in to find me. She ran full speed into me while I was cooking. I scooped her up and sat with her. I don’t always see the need in the moment, sometimes I miss it. Sometimes I hear the crying or the whining and I forget that there is usually something deeper. Sometimes I treat the symptom and don’t address the cause.
I sat with my girl on the kitchen floor for a while. I sat there and rocked her until she felt better enough to go back and play again. In that moment I saw the need. I saw that she needed more than a quick pep talk and push to rejoin the game.
We aren’t going to get it right every time, Lord knows I don’t. There really are no perfect parents. Thank goodness our kids don’t need us to be perfect. They just need us to be present.
Working on being present not perfect,
Lauren
