Your kids don’t decide if you’re a good parent or not. You do.
We’ve all gotten them. Insults from our own children. Whether it’s a toddler yelling, I hate you! Or a teenager saying she wishes she had a different mom, while we know our kids don’t mean what they say (most of the time), these insults still sting. Just because you’re a parent, doesn’t mean words don’t hurt you.
After a year like 2020, when you’ve been around your children perhaps more than ever before, you’ve probably received your fair share of I hate yous and Leave me alones. You’ve seen doors slam in your face. You’ve heard your kids complain that you are working in the living room when they want to watch T.V. You’ve listened to them groan We’re eating that casserole again?? when it was all you could do to get dinner on the table after a hectic day.
Unfortunately, when our kids say mean things or act unappreciative, we make the colossal mistake of believing them.
Words like these from your kids have left you frustrated, exhausted and wondering if you’re still a good parent. Let me assure you, you are.
I find this peculiar. When my granddaughter was three and would tell me that her pink pony flies, I laughed, but when she told me I was a mean grandmother, I felt bad. I’m sure that you do the same with your kids and grandkids.
The truth is, we believe these comments because we desperately want to make sure that we are doing a good job at this parenting, or grandparenting, thing. And when our kids tell us that we are doing a lousy job, we feel like lousy parents.