A letter to the Imperfect Parents.

Parents,

I know that feeling you get when you've had enough. There's no amount of shame that can compare to what I have felt. I've been guilty of yelling, telling white lies, and breaking the spirit of my children more times than I care to remember. It's times like these that we can learn from each other. Mistakes we've made over and over and over and over again that we can help smooth over for someone else.

I know what it is like to just break down in tears because you are beyond frustrated with that screaming, manipulating, pulsating toddler. I know the guilt you feel when you get a bit too angry and spank or grab a limp arm. I've been there. I've made those mistakes. I can tell you I've come out in the other side more knowledgeable, and sensible than I was in the moment.

I've said the I'm sorries, I've given treats out of guilt and I have bribed when it was the easiest thing to do. I've used fear to get my children to do what I've wanted because it was the laziest thing to do. I'm human. I make mistakes. I'm not perfect.

In the car seat world, the breastfeeding world, and the recycling world I'm considered a terrible parent. I didn't even try to breastfeed, I moved my 3 year old to a high back booster without a 5 point harness around her 3rd birthday and I didn't cloth diaper ever or recycle my formula cans. I love my girls and did what I felt was best for our situation. You may not like it. You may not agree with it. You make think I'm the worst mom on the plant or don't care about my kids. I reiterate: I'm human. I make mistakes. I'm not perfect.

My children attend school because that is the best fit for our family. I make them sit down and obey rules. They have to follow the directions set forth in our family. They are allowed to choose different activities they want to invest their time in. Many people think I'm crazy. Think I am pushing my kids too hard. Think I am making them do things for an image. I love my girls. I give them opportunities because I'm blessed and fortunate enough to be able too. I am not perfect. I make mistakes. I'm human.

We, as women, need to be holding each other up. Not tearing each other down. I'm tired of the negative posts and comments about how so and so is doing this wrong. Especially in a classroom environment. News flash if you have never taught in a classroom "volunteering", if you wanna call it that, does NOT count. We, as teachers, do the best we can with what we have. I hate the argument that I do not know my students. You would be surprised at how well I do know my students. I know what they like, what they dislike, their fears, their struggles, of their families are together or split, their passions and interests. Just because I don't hold a 45 minute conversation about what happened at this point does not mean I am not listening nor do I care. The question will be answered at the appropriate time. Because some times, in this great big world, being quiet and listening are GREAT qualities to have. If you stop letting your child question every single thing in life you may see how much they learn through listening.

If you have a very narrow minded view of something stop posting about it. Sometimes you just need to take a step back and see the picture as a whole. We are human, everyone of us makes mistakes, we are not perfect.

And no matter how perfect you may want to appear..we all know better. Especially me, because I screw up this world of parenting. All. The. Time. I hope I can one day perfect it...until then that is why they say practice makes perfect.