NOT a Competition

I had a great conversation with a dear friend this evening and she summed up my feelings when she said "Life isn't a competition and parenting most certainly shouldn't be either; but nobody seems to get that."

We all parent differently. Please don't compare yourself as a person or a parent. So often people apologize to me because they don't cloth diaper, don't breastfeed, don't make home made baby food, etc... These people assume I am looking down on them because they don't parent the same way I do. Guess what? I didn't parent this way 8 years ago and it doesn't mean I am a better parent now than I was then. I do what works for me and I love you and want you to know you are doing a great job.

Let me say that again, just a little bit louder:

I LOVE YOU AND YOU ARE DOING A GREAT JOB!!!!

There are days when you are just glad you've made it through the day, right? Then there are days when you say to yourself "I've got this". That's just how this parenting thing works. Some mornings I put on my Supermom cape and within a few minutes I'm cussing under my breath because the sink is clogged with oatmeal,no one can find their toothbrushes, and someone is whining that someone else called them a name or looked at them weird. I take off my cape, pour a cup of coffee and say to myself "hey self...try again tomorrow"

This whole life thing isn't a competition and you need to remember that - especially when it comes to parenting. It's not a you vs me thing and it's not an us vs them...we are a team. We are a team of loving wonderful people doing the best we can and we are doing it with love. Hang in there, and don't forget:

I LOVE YOU AND YOU ARE DOING A GREAT JOB!!!!!

Love,
~Crystal
xoxox

May your paths be abundantly filled with lemons, sugar, sunshine, and teammates to cheer you on when your legs are too weak to take another step.

Crystal is a church musician, babywearing mama, business owner, active journaler, writer and
blogger, Blog Tour Manager with WOW! Women on Writing, Publicist with Dream of Things Publishing, as well as a dairy farmer. She lives in Reedsville, Wisconsin with her husband, four young children (Carmen 8, Andre 7, Breccan 2, and Delphine 7 months), two dogs, two rabbits, four little piggies, a handful of cats and kittens, and over 230 Holsteins.

You can find Crystal blogging and reviewing books, baby carriers, cloth diapers, and all sorts of other stuff at: http://muffin.wow-womenonwriting.com/ and here: http://bringonlemons.blogspot.com/