Saturday, May 26, 2007

Mommy Guilt

We all have it. We all wonder how we have already screwed up our kids. It's funny; my parents are in town, so we were talking with my cousin E this afternoon (she came over for a while). It's funny. My parents still worry about me (of course), but they have a lot of guilt over a lot of things.

This came up because Hubby and I have decided that Miss Priss will go to kindergarten when she is 6. Well, we've pretty much decided (we've been parents for less than 4 years, but we know that nothing is ever set in stone when it comes to parenting). She will go to pre-school next year 3 days a week, and then she'll go to the 5 day a week pre-k class for the year after she turns 5. Then she will go to kindergarten when she turns 6.

My parents immediately take this as "we shouldn't have put you in kindergarten when you were 5." Well, I have a June birthday, and there was never any problem with me being one of the absolute youngest in my class.

While my mom and I went to get dinner, we talked some more about it. I have so many things that I've done as a parent that I'm not proud of. I wonder if I criticize Miss Priss too much. Do I let Baby Boo get away with too much because she's the baby and "doesn't know any better?" My mom assures me that the fact that I worry about it means that I'm probably doing well.

Both my cousin and my parents told me that Hubby and I are doing great. The girls are happy and well-behaved (which kids are they looking at?). So maybe I shouldn't feel so guilty about all the things that I do wrong. I must be doing something right.

3 comments:

learp17 said...

You're doing great, but of course you're going to worry. All parents do. Plus there are so many tons of decisions we have to make every single day about our kids, that it's no wonder we all think that some of them might not be the right ones. But your kids know you love them and that goes a long way toward making everything come out great.

Elise

justme said...

the guilt is never ending !! I swear, I feel so guilty when my daughter doesn't nap and is exhausted and the second she finally does nap, I feel guilty that i am not playing with her??? silly huh !

Unknown said...

All parents worry - and your parents are right. If you're worrying about doing the right thing, you probably are! You're doing great.