Parenting

I'll be the first to admit, I have no idea what I'm doing as a parent. I used to be a "fun Aunt". I could spoil and spend time with any kid and we would both have the time of our lives.
However, when it comes to being completely responsible for the safety, education, well-being, etc, etc of a child, it is completely different. It's hard. Very hard. If it was only as simple as playing with them and sending them on their way. :) But no it's not, there are a lot of expectations for both the parent and the child. We both have a lot of hopes and dreams of things happening a certain way, when the truth is it usually doesn't happen at all like we thought it would. Maybe that's part of the fun. The unknown.
I try to pray daily to know how to parent each of my girls. I do better some days than others. There are some days when I don't know how to be a mom (or if I even want to be a mom). I don't have any idea what I'm doing. What discipline will work best. What way to teach my children. Even if I'm cleaning or cooking the "right" way. But on my good days, it doesn't matter. I know there is not one right way to do things. Especially when each child is different. Everyone is different.
I absolutely LOVE when my kids do something where I see the "reward" for all my hard work. It makes everything worthwhile, even if they are few and far between some times. I have grown far more than I would have expected simply because these girls were put in my care. For that, I will be forever grateful. I would not be the same person I am today without them.
I write this in hopes that one day when my girls read this, they will understand being a parent is hard for everyone. No one has it down perfectly. Even if they seem like they do. I love my girls and wouldn't trade them for anything! I still have a lot to learn in this life about what it takes to parent though.