You Are Enough!

Dear Mom,

You are good enough…

…when you let your child watch tv instead of do homework

…when bathing is a weekly activity

…when your child is crying and you walk away for a few minutes

You are enough.

You are good enough…

…when milk and goldfish are the menu for lunch

…when bedtime is at 6:30pm because you are done parenting for the day

…when you hire a babysitter just so you can take a nap

You are enough.

You are good enough…

…when you let your child wear pajamas to school

…when several choice words leave your mouth and the kids repeat them

…when your child relentlessly argues about getting dressed so you take them to school in their diaper and coat and bring clothes for the teachers to deal with

How do I know you are good enough? Well, here’s a little about me.

My name is Danielle Gordon and I am a good enough parent and a better than that therapist. Sometimes though, it doesn’t feel that way.

My daughter, Sidney (age 4), pretty much runs our household because it’s easier to give in than argue with her. And my son, Charlie (age 2), already knows this. Do I like this? No. Do I think this is healthy? Not really. Is this something I want to deal with right now? Heck no!

Parenting is difficult enough in a “normal” world. Add in a pandemic which has lasted almost 2 years where we are worrying about which mask is best and how long we have to quarantine and the answer to that question is a double heck no.

I work with a lot of clients who put an exorbitant amount of pressure on themselves to be the perfect parent; to give their children non-processed food, to make sure they are strictly following the remote teaching guidelines given by their children’s teachers, to bathe their children every night and follow that with a chapter book, set of songs, and more bedtime routines.

All of that is wonderful - if you can do it and enjoy doing it.

For most people though, that isn’t a reality.

I want everyone to know that it’s ok to do your best … you are good enough. Not only do our kids need to see us fail at times, but they also need to see us, period. They don’t care if what we do is perfect – they want to spend time with us, feel heard, and be seen. This short video really puts things into perspective.

So, my dear mama, be kind to yourself and show yourself some grace. You may not be perfect, but you are good enough … and this is exactly what your child(ren) needs.

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