Embracing Parenting Imperfection: The Importance of Making Mistakes

"There is no such thing as a perfect parent. If this is the first time you are hearing that, I am sorry it took so long. Parenting is not something we can master or complete-it is a relationship that unfolds in real time, shaped by stress, growth, missteps, and repair. While there will certainly be moments when you feel confident and capable in your role, there will also be moments when you question yourself deeply and wonder how you got here."

"Over the course of my career, I have watched far too many parents exhaust themselves trying to do everything "right." These are the parents who become overly anxious when their infant doesn't meet a developmental milestone on a precise timeline, who feel defeated when their toddler becomes a picky eater, or who carry deep guilt when their child develops a medical or emotional challenge that was never within their control. Parenting perfectionism is everywhere-and it comes at a cost."

"This relentless pursuit of perfection creates unrealistic expectations and constant self-criticism. It also leaves very little room for learning, flexibility, or growth. I don't say this judgmentally. I say it with deep empathy. Many of us were taught-explicitly or implicitly-that mistakes are failures, and that good parenting means avoiding them altogether. We are human, and we make mistakes every single day."

There is no such thing as a perfect parent. Parenting cannot be mastered or completed; it unfolds in real time and is shaped by stress, growth, missteps, and repair. Many parents exhaust themselves trying to do everything "right," becoming anxious over milestones, defeated by picky eating, or burdened by guilt over uncontrollable challenges. Perfectionism creates unrealistic expectations, constant self-criticism, and little room for learning or flexibility. Mistakes are a normal part of being human. Small missteps, emotional reactions, and impatience reflect active nervous systems rather than parenting failure. What matters is how mistakes are responded to.

Read at Psychology Today