How to be the "Perfect" Parent

Step One. Don't have kids.

Step Two. Read all the parenting books and tell your mom friends how to do it. And judge everyone who does it differently.

I think that about sums it up.

I was the perfect parent before I had kids.

I read all the books, I studied early childhood in college and even worked as a Parent Educator for awhile!

Oh. And I was a nanny which I figured was basically the same thing as being a mom so I had it ALL figured out. I had tried my theories and had the chance to try them out on other people's kids.

But that's the thing. They were OTHER people's kids.

Man. It is SO much easier to tell your nanny kids "No, you cannot have that toy, candy, etc just because you are throwing a fit in the store" than it is to tell my own cute little monster no.

It's so much easier to say, "Yes, I will keep my child rear facing in his car seat until he is 2" when you haven't yet had a 1 year old who meets the weight requirements for forward facing screaming about being strapped into his car seat suddenly be happy in the car when he can see forward....

Guess what else? Did you notice that we don't have the super expensive Britax car seat? Nope. But ours has great safety reviews too. And what really makes a car seat safe is having it installed correctly. Save your money and visit the fire department for an inspection. Just sayin'.

It's easy to judge and say, "Wow. That kid is almost 2 and STILL has a pacifier..." when you aren't the parent with the child 24/7 and all night long when he sleeps better with the pacifier.

And what about "Cry it Out"? I know so many moms who say this is the way to go. They are getting great nights sleep after a few nights of cryinig. Yes, maybe their babes started sleeping consistently through the night at less than a year old. Cry it Out  just hasn't been for us.

Christian started sleeping really well at just 2 weeks old. Maybe I jinxed us and maybe I'll jinx us again...but after almost 17 months, he's sleeping almost 11-12 hours straight most nights! And it's great.

Was it on the timeline of other kids? Maybe not. Did I do what the doctor even told us and let him cry it out or stop feeding him in the night? Nope.

I did what worked for us and trusted myself and my baby.

 And maybe cry it out is the answer for others...that's great! But it isn't the only "right" way.

It's also easy to say that you will never bed share...Until you have a sick or teething baby or just a baby who has learned that you still exist after you leave his room and cries because he wants you. Or is scared because you're traveling and he is sleeping in a new place. So yep. Bed share we will.

And we aren't partial to which bed we share...ha  ha

And then there is the issue with blankets. When are they safe? We started letting Christian use a blanket once he could crawl and pull to standing. I figured if he could crawl and maneuver himself in the crib to stand up, he could move away from a blanket if it was blocking him from breathing.

Some moms use blankets from day 1! *GASP* But guess what?? Their babies are alive and happy :) Pretty sure I slept with a blanket since I was born too...and whoa...I was fed FORMULA!

But...I grew up happy and healthy. And to me, that's all the matters.

That's what makes the "perfect" parent.

It's about trusting yourself to know yourself and your baby and not worrying or over stressing about all the little things. And really, what does all that research really show? They just keep changing what is "best"!

What is best is a happy baby and a happy mama. And the way to that is by doing what is right for you. Even if what is right for you, isn't what is right for Susie, or Johnny, or Jack.

What are your tips to being a "perfect parent"? Do you break the "rules"?