Parenting Through– Part 6

This isn’t the end of anything.
It’s not a breakthrough. Not a clean slate. Not a moment where I can say,
“I’ve figured it out.”

But it is a moment.
A real one.
And sometimes that’s all we get.

There’s no script to follow when you’re trying to parent without a map.
No guarantee that the changes you’re making will fully land.
No perfect version of yourself waiting just around the corner.

But I’m still here.
Still noticing.
Still showing up.

And sometimes, that means just sitting on the floor beside him,
not trying to teach or fix anything — just being there.
Sometimes it means saying “no” to something I wish I had the energy for.
Sometimes it means crying after he’s gone, then getting up and doing the dishes anyway.

It’s not dramatic.
It’s not heroic.
But it’s real.

And maybe that’s what healing looks like in the long term —
not becoming someone else, but staying yourself, again and again, even on the days you’re unsure.

If he remembers anything, I hope it’s this:
That I never stopped trying.
That I never disappeared, even when I was tired.
That I stayed.

Reflective Question for You:
What would it mean to stop trying to be perfect — and start honouring your effort instead?