Authentic parenting

 Oh boy.

Here's a hot button issue.  Parenting is The Thing, at least for me.  Just like you, I love my children and don't want to mess this up.  I look at other people for examples.  It's natural to see successful children and trace the line back to their parents and want to copy everything those parents did.  I want there to be a formula to follow.  Exact, precise measures to take to ensure happy, successful, responsible, moral and kind children.

Does such a formula exist?  Because even though I'm bad at following directions, I would put all my energy into following it.

Until I find that formula (which I am not very hopeful about), I will rely (I will try to) on a few basic things I know.

First I am grateful for scriptures and the Gospel and example of Jesus Christ that give me a lot of help in knowing which way to go.

I'm grateful for prayer.  It helps.

Finally, I'm grateful for an exchange I watched years ago. If I could just hold it in my head, I will remember there are lots of good ways to be a mother.

I was talking with two women who are older than I am and who have children older than mine.  The first woman was describing the routine at her house that seemed really inconvenient for her, the mother.  The second woman seemed a little taken back.  She, like me, seemed to think this first mother was taking ridiculous steps to cater to her children.

The first mother shrugged.

She said, "I don't mind.  I have good kids and it works for us."

I think I gasped on the inside.  Because she was right.  She does have good kids.  This mother is a serene and confident woman.  She doesn't parent based on other people.  In fact she did things other people (like me) would never do.  And she didn't care.  She felt like she was OK.

Wow.