“Parenting” as a concept is difficult to describe in words. That’s primarily because every parent and their parenting ways are unique and distinguished. However, call it the effects of the modern world or the outcome of today’s busy lifestyle, we have reached a point wherein parents are caught amidst a rat race, where they are trying to outdo one another solely to grab the tag of becoming a “perfect parent”.
Today, through this article, we, at Delhi Public School Sushant Lok, one of the best CBSE schools in Gurgaon, would like to address this very topic and bust the bubble that there is no such thing called perfect parenting!
After all, parenting isn’t and shouldn’t be about seeking perfection. It is more about bonding with your children and strengthening the tie you share with them.
Here’s why we think the idea of “perfect parenting” isn’t healthy, either for the parents or the kids:
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Every child is different:
Being actively involved in the education sector for years now, we are firm about the fact that every child is different and so are his/her needs. Hence, what is important for you, as parents, is to derive what it is that “your” children are looking for and ultimately work towards fulfilling their needs. Why we are stressing the word “your” here is many times it so happens that in a bid to be called perfect, many parents consider the societal expectations to be the “needs” for kids.
We would like to advise you not to do that! Your child is unique. He/she is different from all the other kids in the world. As such, it would be wise to avoid judging your little ones based on some general predefined criteria. Instead, focus on becoming a patient and understanding parent who understands and values his/her child.
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Parenting is an emotion:
The core of parenting lies in developing a strong emotional connection with one’s children. And ideally, in relationships wherein emotions are involved, pre-set parameters or prerequisites have no role to play. This again rules out the need to achieve perfectionism.
After all, what you, as parents, want for your children is to be happy, something that has nothing to do with a parent being perfect or not.
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Perfectionism is subjective:
In one of our recent interactions with our students and their parents, we decided to address this assumption in the most upfront manner where we asked parents and children what being a perfect parent meant to them.
The outcome was exactly what we had assumed. Both parents and children had a completely different version of what a perfect parent can look like. With one concept having multiple contradicting views, the very existence of the end concept becomes questionable. This only proves that perfect parenting is a bitter myth.
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Perfect parenting shouldn’t be the ultimate goal:
If there is one thing that parents deeply desire, it is to ensure that their children get to live a content and fulfilling life. A life, where they have access to all the vital resources and infrastructure that aid the process of learning and growth.
Having said that, it is also understandable that every parent can offer these inputs only to the extent of their capacity. However, irrespective of that, there should be a sense of mutual respect and regard in a parent-child relationship, which we believe is far more valuable.
Final Words:
All this while, if you have been making efforts to become a perfect parent with no clarity of exactly what is expected out of you, it is time for you to heave a sigh of relief. After all, neither falling for the trap of becoming a perfect parent is healthy, nor is it going to do any wonders in helping you or your child have a great relationship with each other!
We, at DPS Sushant Lok, positioned among the best CBSE schools in Gurgaon, believe that if at all there is something that you should focus on achieving as a parent, it should be to make sure that your child has a happy and meaningful childhood, is able to learn well, gets good educational opportunities, and ultimately grows up to become a responsible and well-groomed individual. After all, the goal of parenting should be to shape and mold children for the best, and there isn’t a so-called “perfect” predefined pathway for the same!