Me Thinks

A note to mothers of young children (part two):
There are some things you do not need to worry about, such as--

1. You do not need to worry if your child's bedroom/nursery is (or is not) completely coordinated. Some people have the money and time to completely decorate a room just as they'd wish.  I'm happy for them and I love the results, but fortunately your child will not be harmed if their room is not thoroughly coordinated.  You are not obligated to share pictures of your decorating scheme, or lack thereof. I am not putting down the mothers who are good at this and decorate in a wonderful way. I love to see the creative and coordinated results.  Rather, I am being sensitive to the mothers who do not have the means to decorate as they'd wish.

2. You do not need to worry if your child's first birthday party is simple.  I promise--a one year old does not notice.  You can stick a little candle in a cupcake (or pancake, or muffin, or whatever you have) and call it good.  When children get older, they may have an opinion about a themed birthday party, but when they are one, they notice the love and the attention, not the theme.

3. You do not need to worry if your child is not exceptional at a young age.  We live in such a competitive world where talent and intelligence are applauded, beginning early on. Every child is born with gifts and some take longer than others to develop. Children do not need to be the star of the soccer team at age four, or even start playing soccer at four.  You will receive pressure to start your children early in several activities and to work with your children so that they excel early and stand out.  Some children naturally do stand out and excel, however most children are mediocre or "normal" as they try new things. The most important thing a child needs to do is to be a child, meaning that they have the time to play and be creative, free of stress and high expectations.  Of course it is not bad for children to try new activities. The "bad" part is the pressure to excel instead of the simple joy of experiencing the activity.

4. Finally, you do not need to worry that you or your children are not perfect.  You will make mistakes. It is a given that no parent parents perfectly, and yet, children survive and thrive. Keep trying, keep evaluating, and keep smiling.  Children often go through stages where they exhibit an undesired behavior, but thankfully, this is often a temporary stage, not a permanent character flaw. Love your children through the imperfect stages and behaviors. They have bright futures ahead and they are important souls.