Is 'PERFECT' a curse word? Maybe it should be.

This weekend I had the pleasure of catching up with some very old and dear friends of mine: Chris, Eva & their 2 boys. They now live 400 miles away and we basically keep in touch via our respective parents (who happen to be neighbors) so this was really a treat. While my children played with their children, we chatted about child rearing and house plans, asperations for ourselves and our children. It was just so grown-up ... until the old stories came out and we laughed till we were red in the face and gasping.

But that isn't really what I wanted to write about. What I wanted to write about was how I've finally realized that I have my own way of parenting and I don't do half bad. You see, Eva is one of those natural mothers. She just seems to know instinctively how to mother. Add to that the fact that she also insists on all natural/organic foods and has the boys on a vegetarian diet and you'll see what I mean. I spent the first hour feeling just a bit inferior in the motherhood department. But somewhere along the way I realized that she is second guessing herself and her choices in exactly the same way that I do. Why do we do this to ourselves?

I've decided to try and give myself a break. I'm going to give myself permission to be human and make mistakes. I'm certain that my kids will turn out ok...maybe even better since they won't have a crazed lunatic for a mother. Wish me luck.