Light as a feather

A few weeks ago, Quinlan started waking up with a sneezy, stuffy nose. I chalked it up to the summer cold part deux we'd all been hit with and didn't think twice about it.

Then I noticed that it was really only in the morning that she was raiding the tissue box and by the end of the day seemed perfectly fine. And then we went away and her cold disappeared.

My tendency has always been to head straight to Nurse Twitter or Dr. Google, and type in a series of symptoms and my kid's age and then buckle myself in for an anxious roller coaster ride of possible problems.

And while I may not Google or Tweet every single parenting decision I make, I give it a lot more than a passing thought. In fact, as much as I'm survivor mom, I still over think almost everything I do and say.

They're my kids. If there's anything I want to do right, it's being a good parent.

So whether it's beating myself up for what's lately been the daily blow up and subsequent apology, to trying to figure out what to do with my son who is royally kicking my ass to whatever else, I'll spend more time than I've got available to figure it out.

Somehow everything is such a life altering big deal that must be researched, explored, and dissected. The grandiose apologies, the extensive chore charts, the parenting books that tell me how to ensure that my kids are well-rounded, self-sufficient individuals.

But when I took a moment to think clearly instead of freak, over analyze, and seek the help of non-medical social media professionals, I thought to myself "maybe it's a feather pillow."

And indeed, it was.

And many times, it is just a feather pillow, yet we make a big huge deal as if every single thing is a momentous, life changing decision.

I'm all for teaching moments. Learning opportunities. Being consistent, appropriate, and parent-ly. Setting a good example for our kids.

But so very often, it's not as complicated as we think. It doesn't involve wracking our brains, whether we're trying to find the answer or punishing ourselves for giving the wrong one.

Sometimes. A lot of times, actually, it's as simple as that feather pillow.

Comments

[Tubal Reversal Surgery]

All those times when I see this blog a name flashed into my mind, it is Dr. Morice ..
It 's a man a much more in woman's issues ..
I believe that all women should go to learn mybabydoc.com solution of their problems ..

[eve]

i prefer this part" They're my kids. If there's anything I want to do right, it's being a good parent".

[MissHawk]

OMG. This should be printed and posted on my fridge because you're so.right. It IS a revelation as previously posted. Why can't I always remember it? Great post. :)

[NancyU]

In life, it is the journey, not the destination that is important. The little side trips into getting too upset about the little stuff are the bumps in the road. The trick is to look at the big picture and try to forget the bumps. Great Article!

[Rachel]

Great post. Often when we quit freaking out and over-analyzing things, the simple solution becomes obvious!

[Kimommy]

Sometimes I have to remind myself to take a step back, breathe, and more often than not, the problem is only a feather pillow.

[red pen mama]

Can I first tell you I'm excited to see "wracking" used correctly? Yeah, I'm a geek.

Second: I had a great weekend with my kids, and I feel similarly today. Like, I don't have to agonize over every minute, every decision. I can just hang out and enjoy my kids. It was a revelation!