When You Write About Parenting
You open yourself up to personal criticism when you write about Parenting
Parenting is one of those hot button topics about which everyone has an opinion.
Photo by Jeremiah Lawrence on Unsplash
Many opinions are based on personal experience (anyone who’s ever had a kid or who knows somebody with a kid), some on professional experience (teachers, caregivers, etc.) and others on academic expertise (those in the fields of psychology, child development, etc.).
In other words, everyone has an opinion on parenting, and if they don’t believe they’re an expert, then they think they’re pretty close.
So when I say I’m a Parenting Expert, I’m in very inclusive company, at least. But it also lays open the probability that people will disagree with me, or dispute my qualifications. It opens me up to being criticized for the way I’ve parented my own children (who are now adults).
God knows I got a lot of criticism from my children’s teachers, friends’ moms, my parents and my mother-in-law. I knew strangers in stores and public places had critical thoughts about me when my children were loud or boisterous, or whiny, even if they didn’t say anything out loud.
And now that I’m posting publicly I realize I actually will be hearing from strangers telling me I’m totally wrong, or that I must have been a terrible parent when my children were young.
So let me be the first to say that I was not and am not a perfect parent. I made lots of mistakes and undoubtedly scarred my children in ways I can’t even imagine. Or in ways they haven’t shared with me, anyway.
(They do seem to like me, though, and I like them. Besides loving them, of course)
I made mistakes that I knew I was making at the time. And I made mistakes that I only realized much later. Sometimes I thought I was doing the exact right thing to be a good parent, when I came to believe later that I should have done something different.
I’m also completely willing to accept that what I believe now may change in the future.
I definitely don’t have all the answers. I wish I did! Life would be so much been easier, for sure.
But I do have some answers, and those answers have been helpful to me and to others on their parenting journey. I’ve seen what works in different families, and with a variety of kids. I’ve been able to work with hundreds of kids and families, and I have a knack for recognizing patterns.
If you’re interested in learning more about those patterns and answers, then I invite you to follow me here on Substack, where I’ll be sharing what I’ve learned and what I continue to learn. I intend to post just as often as I can…
Thoughts, suggestions and musings from one imperfect parent to the other imperfect parents who find those thoughts helpful.
