Your daughter does not need a perfect mother, or your son a perfect dad

Our child’s growing up was never supposed to feel comfortable for us as parents.I think one of the saddest modern parenting myths is the idea that we’re meant to guide our children through adolescence while appearing calm, emotionally sorted, endlessly patient and completely unruffled. Like some sort of spiritual air hostess serenely pointing to the emergency exits while the plane is clearly going down.Coming-of-age rites of passage were never only for the young person. They changed the parents too.There is grief and beauty in watching our children grow away from us - not as rejection, but as expansion. So much of parenting adolescents is learning to loosen our grip without losing connection. Because healthy growing up requires space, for them and for us.Perhaps our daughters do not need perfect mothers.Perhaps our sons do not need perfect fathers.Maybe they simply need parents willing to keep growing too.Thank you for pausing with me. Take care. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit kimmccabe.substack.com/subscribe