Jennifer Maurais Luce

Parenting Gone Awry Jennifer Maurais Luce

Let's face it, we all know that there is no such thing as the "perfect parent." Yet, without fail most of us strive to be just that. There is a familiar saying, "You can't fit a square peg in a round hole." This comes to mind when I read parenting books, articles, and blogs that attempt to create a template for attaining perfection in parenting (round hole). Some of these resources leave the reader feeling defeated and or inadequately equipped to take on everyday parenting struggles. (Making parents feel like the infamous square peg.) Many times what is needed is a creative solution to practical problem. Offering words of encouragement or a helpful suggestion for a challenge that may pop up in your daily routine is all one needs to feel that they are succeeding as a parent. Feeling confident in parenting skills allows the adult to guide the child while modeling a respectful and positive attitude. Parenting solutions that are offered without room for flexibility are not always an ideal fit when it comes to relating to our children. Why? In my opinion there are too many variables. Often it can be due to fatigue, hunger, a change in routine, or any other number of elements that make the need for a backup plan paramount. That's not to say that we are doomed as parents or that we should only strive to achieve mediocracy in our child rearing. It just means that instead of judging others based on their "successes" or "failures" as parents, perhaps we can share techniques and methods that are helpful to us on the off chance that it may be just what someone else may need to find success. One small change may afford a parent the opportunity to turn a corner with a problem or challenge that they have been struggling with, and allow them to feel successful as a parent; to feel that they are always trying to do what is in the best interest of their child. There is no doubt that this amazing adventure that we affectionately refer to as parenting is just plain hard sometimes! . It is my goal in writing this book to offer the reader creative, candid, yet practical solutions to common parenting challenges. I am here to share my own experiences and offer suggestions that may help your family negotiate the amazing, yet sometimes challenging situations that occur in your daily lives. I hope to become a resource to you and your family. At the very least, I hope that you will feel that you are not alone when you are dealing with some of those less than ideal times. Let us hope that these frustrating times will hopefully become the memories that you look back on and laugh at later down the road, even if sometimes it is much, much later down that road.