Hey, dear one. You’re doing great. Yes, you.
I know it seems like you don’t know what you’re doing and you’re scared to mess it up. But, that’s totally normal. I can’t promise that feeling will ever go away, but I can tell you that worrying about if you’re doing it right may be the thing that helps you get some of it right. (Let’s be honest, none of us are going to get it all right.) That feeling- it pushes you to learn more, to read more, to be a better parent than you would be otherwise.
See these four babies in this picture? (I know they may look grown to you, but to me they will, forever, be my babies.) I didn’t feel like I ever really knew what to do, but I did try my best. I know I didn’t do it perfectly, and there are certainly things I wish I could’ve changed. But, there was stuff I *did* change as I learned more. I kept growing and learning because I knew I didn’t know what I didn’t know.
I don’t know how we did it, exactly, but, like you, I worried about not knowing if I was doing it right the entire time. (And currently, if you want the truth. Parenting doesn’t stop at 18.) When they were babies, when they were toddlers throwing tantrums, when they hit 10 and were constantly annoying someone in the family on purpose, dealing with bullies, getting looked over in sports, and more. We worried.
Two of these babies are in college, living a partially grown life. All four of them are the most amazing people I know. The funniest, kindest, most considerate, amazing people I know.
So, dear one, I promise you’re doing a good job. If you’re worried about it, you are open enough to change and to grow into the parent your kids need you to be. Dear one, you’re doing a GREAT job.
Love-
Tracy
