I learned that being a mom means making a choice even when you don't know exactly what the outcome will be , but you don't have time to think because I learned that often times being a mom means being quick on your feet. No time for second guessing just going with your gut and being able to accept that going with your own gut is enough. Being a mom has taught me that I will learn something new about myself everyday, that life is a process of growing in an ever changing way. Part of learning means accepting you do not know it all and that was probably the biggest lesson that was the hardest of them all. That knowing it all isn't what's important, it's about having an open mind to learn things as you go because if you don't do that than you will never learn to grow.
Being a good parent isn't one who thinks they know it all by day one, it's one who can accept that it takes time to learn your child's individual needs and wants. Realizing that children aren't robots they don't come with an instruction book. So you can't come into it with all the answers because you first have to learn them . Your child is your teacher & that's where you should look to Learn how to be the best mom. Not from a book, or a forum, or your neighbor down the street, and the quicker you understand that the more successful you will be. The quicker you accept that the best parenting information you will learn isn't coming from a book, you will pay a whole lot more attention to the daily lessons your child teaches you when you finally know where to look. The best parenting advice I could give is go into it with eyes wide open , but no expectations and don't have all the answers because you won't be open to learning the real ones , that only your kid can teach you , so just be patient and willing to learn because that's probably the best thing you can do as a parent instead of pretending you already know all the answers because good parents are open to learn. I know what you're thinking can I be anymore vague? I'm not gonna tell you what I think would be best for your child because I honestly do not know. How can I tell you what is best when I'm still learning that about my own? Do you get it now? Have you understood my point? Being the best parent you can be means reading the books and hearing unsolicited advice , but knowing that it may not work because your child may have other plans in store. So the best parenting advice I would have given myself back then is to take this parenting thing day by day and it's absolutely okay to not know all the answers right away! That the road to being a good parent is a journey that both you and your child have to take and grow through together. That is the true key to good parenting.
