This week Mr M and I filled evaluation questionnaires and the results were pretty much as we thought. There were no surprises – good or bad.
Parenting is hard but rewarding. I know that sounds like an old worn out cliché but it is accurate.
Parenting is full of sacrifices – implying that I’m giving up something. Well yes, but I do get something in return – if there was no pay off there would be no sacrifice to begin with.
Parenting is full of frustration from within the family and from the outside world. Frustrations from within the family are tolerable and forgivable. Frustrations from the outside world less so.
Parenting is relentless.
The key factor in all of this is the children. Every decision made in a family household revolves around the children. So it makes sense to ask them how they think we are faring.
I asked my six year old daughter whether she thought we were doing a good job; was there anything that was making her sad; or frustrated? Did she think we were fair? Do we adequately explain ourselves? Did she think she was missing out on anything? Was she happy?
And I’m glad to report that we passed her evaluation.
When I tried to ask my 4 year old son the same questions he just wanted to know if he could play computer and eat chicken sticks. When I pressed him to answer my questions first and then he could play computer, he looked at me and said, “yes mum, you a good job. Can I play computer now?”
Can I just say, it’s an startling thing to see yourself in your children. Telling me exactly what I hear so he can get on with playing the computer is my modus operandi. It’s how I used to have myself heard. I know it’s not a trait unique to me, but it is a big part of me.
I digress.
As I was putting my daughter to bed last night my daughter said to me, “being a parent is hard work isn’t it? Daddy has to go to work every day and you have to look after us during the day and there are three of us and only one mummy. Being a kid is easier”.
We all know that being a kid isn’t always easier and I told my daughter that we can talk more about being a kid later. But for the moment I was satisfied with the job I was doing. My daughter was enjoying being a kid. Current evaluation over.
Related posts
A Job Evaluation – Dad
A Job Evaluation – Mum
This post was first published on my other Mum’s Word blog “Kids Evaluate Parents”
