Good Enough Parenting

I’m a firm believer that there is too much pressure in today’s version of parenting. Do you remember in the 80s when your parent might not know where you were for a whole day? And now as parents, we’re expected to know where our kids are, sign them up for swimming lessons, spanish club, and the debate team, drive them to these activities in a vehicle fueled by soybean oil, be attuned to them at all times, feed them organic, locally sourced snacks and meals, provide clothes that are sustainably sourced by brands that pay a fair living wage to their employees, provide limits (but not too many!), monitor their internet use (but still allow for autonomy), teach them about healthy boundaries, teach them to be anti-racist media literate critical thinkers who follow the rules but question authority, and purchase vegan sunscreen to apply to their delicate skin every half hour. Plus we haven’t even touched on saving the bees or self esteem or kindness or saving for college or myths of traditional beauty standards or banned books. WHEN WILL IT END?

I’ve created a checklist of good enough parenting. And then an affirmations sheet of things we can remind ourselves when this parenting trend is unsustainable.