DadTalk

Real Parenting Revolution

So Netmums has launched a campaign called the “real parenting revolution”. The idea of the campaign is promote real parenting in the hope that pressure can be taken off parents to be the “perfect parent”. Apparently, it’s time to feel good about ourselves (as parents) for simply being 'good enough'.

I like the idea behind it and the acknowledgement that being a parent is often difficult, testing, exasperating as well as exhilarating.

I also like the fact the campaign encourages us to stop comparing ourselves to others. We all know that the feeling when you're with your kids in the supermarket and it is everything you can do to stop them ripping each other's face off or randomly starting fires, while Mr and Mrs Prissy Perfect with their beautiful children happily discuss the merits of free range couscous over couscous that was made in a cage. We all know that sense of self loathing. Or is that just me?

Something I realised very quickly, as a new parent, was that I wanted to do this how I wanted to do it. I decided that I wasn't comfortable with a number of modern and fashionable parenting techniques. I thought the contented little baby book was insanely dull and ridiculously rigid. I wanted my kids to be happy, to be able to enjoy life and to know that I loved them and stuff what anyone else thinks.

So, sometimes I am stricter than other parents and sometimes I decide to turn a blind eye. Sometimes I lay very clear boundaries and sometimes I encourage the kids to work things out for themselves.

To sum this up I would say that we decided on a philosophy and that guides what we do. We like asking parents who have kids that are older than ours what they think but we don't do that very often, we feel like we have some clear principles. This means that the opinion of Government, friends, family or strangers is really not that relevant.