Parenting 101

exercise in frustration

she sits,
glued to a tiny chair
with tennis balls for feet,
contemplating her failure
to get with the program
and step up the positive parenting
while denying
her underlying disease
and masking the deleterious effects
of past mistakes,
push forward
and give us a gold star
for being
normal

Author's Note

no comment

Reviews

[Richard Linsley III]

I've always hated Parenting 101 classes. I've always liked Daddy Bootcamps though. Maybe the difference is that in Daddy Bootcamps, we're there to learn skillsets (changing the diaper, holding the baby the correct way, etc.) Where in my experience, Parenting 101 was someone (who often did not have a child, and sometimes didn't want any) on a podium telling soon to be parents or already parents how we're completely wrong in our parenting abilities already and we need to worship the ground they walk on.

That said, poems are lovely to evoke thoughts and emotions and feelings. This one brought back a whole slew of them for me. The first being: "huh?" with a slight bit of confusion. I read below the impact of Parenting 101 left on you, and then I started to empathize with your situation. Too many gold stars out there today. Sometimes we only deserve a silver one!

[Lyn Anderson]

Thank you for your insights.

[jjwilbourne]

This was a really tight and visual poem.
Parenting isn't the most simple task. Very multidimensional. It's like solving a Rubik's cube.

[Lyn Anderson]

Thank you for the thoughtful review.

[Brittany Zedalis]

I like the mention of a gold star, it really makes me think of a school and children. I don't have kids, but I hope to one day, and one of my best friends has 3 so I see pretty often how tough parenting can be.

[Lyn Anderson]

Thank you for stopping by.

[Brittany Zedalis]

You're welcome ^-^

[C. Rose]

I don't understand. I like "give us a gold star for being normal". I like "underlying disease ... past mistakes". I don't understand tennis ball feet and parenting and how it all ties together. tennis ball feet make me think of a walker.

[Lyn Anderson]

Yes, that has been mentioned. In schools, the small children's chairs here have tennis balls on them because kids drag and mark the floors. It is a fairly literal account of sitting in a parenting class, feeling frustrated at the advice I was being given, not really applicable to what my family has been through. Parents are being prompted to do the stuff I already do, which isn't the root of my problem. The root lies in years of emotional marital abuse, which can't be fixed without addressing it. Thank you for taking the time to stop by my personal journey.

[C. Rose]

Thank you for explaining, the piece makes sense now.

[Lyn Anderson]

No problem. I appreciate you stopping by.

[A. H. Pinley]

It's a privilege to be a parent. My kids drive nuts at times, but I would trade the blessing for anything. It's an honor to have this opportunity.

[Lyn Anderson]

Of course it is. This poem is not a commentary on not liking being a parent, but rather a particular parenting course I have had the misfortune to be exposed to.

[Mayank]

I am not a parent yet, but I have got kid at home, my niece. She's so naughty and all her demands makes me go crazy but it's pleasure to be around with kids.

[Lyn Anderson]

Thank you for sharing.

[Bright Ocean Star]

It's hard. But, as a wise man once said..."You can't drive a car by looking in the rearview mirror. Get your eyes on the windshield and allow yourself to move forward." If you need counselling, get it. If she needs counselling, get it. But forgive yourself, realize kids are tremendously resilient, and you are doing the best you can. She knows that. She loves you. She will always know that. You are an amazing mom. Hugs.

[Lyn Anderson]

Ah yes, this poem is a result of the frustration caused by said inadequate programing. Once I am stronger, I may just be shopping around for a Member of Parliament to take up the cause and change the regulations that do not allow abused spouses to seek professional help for their children if they do not have sole custody. Seems counter intuitive, I know, but those are the facts, at least here.

[Tony Larkin]

I know from hearing the experience of others that it can be quite difficult to be a parent no matter how sweet the kids are. They often wish that they had done or said something differently with their kid(s), no matter how reasonable it seemed at the time of the action. Using what I've heard, I think you captured the troubles of being a parent wonderfully.

[Lyn Anderson]

Thank you very much.

[MsJewel]

Being a parent is such a glorious, wonderful thing...but damn it can be hard at times. I don't know how many times I've thought I should have done something differently. I believe love is the most important thing..show your children they are loved and don't sweat the small stuff. After all, we aren't perfect, only human. I'm sure you are a wonderful parent.

:) Julie

[Lyn Anderson]

Thanks. Just having some angst.

[MomzillaNC]

Being normal… what is normal? Is there an answer for such a subjective concept?

[Lyn Anderson]

No, there is not, but the experts are determined I follow the manual. Thanks.

[MomzillaNC]

Nertz to the experts!