That’s right. I was a perfect mom once upon a time. And because of my perfect parenting, I sported the perfect kids. 
My children never screamed or threw tantrums. They never had runny noses or dirty faces. Their hair was perfectly coiffed every day. Their clothing was never stained or dirty.
I even threw Pinterest worthy birthday parties for each of my kids before Pinterest was even a thing. I could have invented Pinterest myself! My kids were always grateful for everything I did, and there was never a word uttered in my home that wasn’t kind.
I’d watch the imperfect moms all around me wondering what was wrong with them. It wasn’t that hard! They must be doing it all wrong.
Yep! I was a perfect parent…….. and THEN I had kids!
That’s when all my perfect parenting dreams flew right out the window.
Did you know that kids actually come with their own little personalities?! And they have opinions! What is that about? These little creatures get a runny nose and have crusties all over their faces, and even in their hair. They scream when you wash their faces, look at them wrong, ask for a high five, give them the wrong cup, and sometimes even when you give them the right cup. It is impossible to predict how they might react to any situation at any given moment.
How was my perfect parenting supposed to hold up to such nonsense?! Let me tell you a secret… it doesn’t.
You know all those Pinterest worthy parties I was going to have? None of them ever happened. Not once. In fact, I despise birthday parties. We take our kids out to dinner and an activity of their choice with Mom and Dad, and we call it a party!
We all have things we are great at that another mom might struggle with. And do you know what? It’s okay! It is. It’s ok to be a perfectly imperfect mom and feel good about it. Guys, my kids are lucky if I make dinner some nights. I feel good about myself if the littles have clean underwear and matching socks; all too often the lack of clean underwear is my cue to do laundry. And it’s a REALLY great day when my 2-year-old is wearing pants!
So, here’s the thing… we are all moms, with imperfections. And Momming is hard work, guys! Just when you think you’ve got a handle on how to parent, they go and move on to another phase of childhood and you’re back to square one. I think what we all need is someone to cheer us on. Someone to tell us we are doing well despite feeling like we may never live up to the perfect mom down the street. She’s going through her own struggles that you will never know about. Focus on YOUR strengths. Don’t compare yourself. Theodore Roosevelt said, “Comparison is the thief of joy,” and he is absolutely right. How boring would this beautiful life be if everyone excelled at all the same things? We would have nothing to learn. There would be no growth.
Look around you at the village that is helping you raise these precious young people. Glean the wisdom you can from the moms you come across and know that many of them are gleaning wisdom from you. Each of us has something to offer. Be willing to share your talents. Know that your efforts do not go unnoticed, even by your kids. It’s the little things you do that they will remember. Just be with them. Make mistakes and learn from them. Yes, you have permission. It’s so important for your children to see you mess up and find the courage to try again.
The next time you notice a mom needing encouragement, offer it. Keep doing what you do best, whatever that may be. Realize that your best looks different from anyone else’s. In the words of Dory, “Just keep swimming!”
