Perfection

Have you ever had a perfect day with Baby?  They are glorious, rare things.  The naps are long, playtimes are perfect, and appetites are good to the last bite.  As new mom, I have stressed about the normal imperfection in my Baby's day more than I'd really care to admit.  "He only eats two bites," "He took forever to fall asleep," or "He didn't like the walk" are just a few of the million little things that can throw off my pursuit of the perfect day.

I love Ann Dunnewold's discussion being "perfectly good" as in "those are still perfectly good shoes."  It's not just "good enough" but "perfectly good."  It doesn't feel like giving up, but doesn't smack of obsessiveness either.  I can be content with a B+ day.  And I need to be.

How to Behave, so your Children Will Too! points out that babies and young toddlers are really only capable of 60% obedience when they begin to understand obedience at all.  With training, they can improve, but rare will be the days of 100% perfection.  Kids (and parents) don't lend themselves to perfection.  They will misbehave, cry, and make mistakes.

If I can accept that parenting is hard work and won't always look perfect, I can have a much happier life and be a much more balanced mom.  I intend to continue with the hard work of instilling values in my children and giving them structure in which to thrive, but I also need to relax in the knowledge that perfection is reserved for God alone.

RESOURCES
Even June Cleaver Would Forget the Juice Box

How to Behave So Your Children Will, Too!