Dear Parents, Quit Trying To Achieve Perfection

While sitting in Starbucks the other day, I notice a family of four waiting for their coffee. I hear the mom angrily say to her son to tuck his pants into his boots because his pants are high waters and he's making her look bad. Then I had a rush of moments just like this run through my head. Moments where I've seen and heard parents force perfectionism onto their kids. Often for the sake of themselves.  

It starts when they're just babies. Parents feel the need to have the perfect outfits. The perfectly combed and styled hair. And don't forget a face free of baby food as if babies never get messy.  

Then that sweet baby of yours becomes a toddler. I don't know if you know this, but your toddler has their own sense of fashion. They want to wear outfits they think match, not ones that actually do. They shockingly don't care if they're wearing high waters or five different shades of pink. They believe they look great!  When it comes to cooking and baking in the kitchen, parents take control. Is there room for creativity? Not when it comes to what the end result looks like or tastes like. After all, it needs to be... perfect.  

Your toddler slowly turns into a teenager. They start getting grades. Entering into the world of sports or activities. Parents begin finding their value in how well their kid performs. Hence the stupid bumper stickers boasting of their child being an honor student. It becomes less of your child enjoying themselves and more of what they can do to make their parents look good.  

And let's be real, no matter how young or old children are, family photo shoots are all the same. Come on kids, let's show all our friends and extended family how perfect we are. As if other people don't know the chaos that happens behind the scene.  

Just be real. Be honest. Let go of the perfectionism.

Allow your kids the freedom to be who God created them to be.

Allow room for mistakes, room for growth, and embrace this wonderful world we call parenthood!