Once Upon a Time, Parenting Was...

Once upon a time, there was a girl.  She had a dream to one day get married, have a bunch of kids, and live happily ever after!  That's how life is supposed to go right?

Lots of people believe in this beautiful Cinderella-like dream that getting married is the ultimate problem to address in life, and then everything will roll peacefully down hill in a soothing trancelike state.

Well, this picture sums it all up...

This sums up parenthood, motherhood, and life in general.  We were not perfect people put on this earth to have a perfect experience.  Life is messy, hard, and complicated in so many ways.

And you know what, that's OKAY!

So now you are a parent...

It's exciting, it's scary, and it can be the best experience you ever have during this Earthly life. 

There are some fantastic skills that a parent can have in their parenting toolbox.

The National Extension Parent Education Model (NEPEM).

https://www.k-state.edu/wwparent/nepem/

 There are seven focus categories in the model:

1. Care for Self
2. Understand
3. Guide
4. Nurture
5. Motivate
6. Develop
7. Advocate

There are 3 categories that have really helped me want to be a better mother:

Guide, Nurture, and Motivate.  

In my next 3 blog posts, I will go over these 3 wonderful topics in an effort to teach myself a little better, and also to help you realize a little bit more the potential we as parents can have on children.