If you felt like you were really messing up as a parent sometimes when your DC were small, and they are now grown ups...

[JurassicHouse]

...because I would love to hear some positive stories. I have the most wonderful 4 and 2 year old DCs but I feel like I'm totally failing the eldest despite starting every day resolving to be a much better, more effective parent.

I often felt like I was failing my two. They're 23 and 25 now. The 23 year old claims he can't remember anything, and the 25 year old says she had a great childhood.

Hang in there. 😊

My DS is 38 now and a healthy, wonderful person all round yet I cringe at the things I did when he was little that now would cause me to be drummed out of MN - drove to and from school when we could have walked, had far too many Macdonalds, etc

Oh and jars of baby food when I was weaning him, rather than healthy home made food.

PS I’m going to have to emigrate and NC now, aren’t !?

The teen years are the biggest test. My two dd frequently told me I was rubbish!! They are 20 and 22 and both accomplished and lovely and they no longer hate me!

I'm just reading with amusement all these MN threads about a bit of mould around window frames in bedrooms, in winters. Daily battles to control it.

Breathing caused mould around our windows, in winter. My kids grew up in bedrooms like that. They seem to have come good anyway.

Everything is like that. Just another pile of my failures they somehow survived unscathed.

I look back at photos of mine and just feel sadness that I wasted so much time worrying.

I endlessly fret about what other people thought. Had horrible PND but just cared way too much about others opinions.

I was a single parent when mine were 4&2. Money was tight.

I still remember some MN threads in the early days (2006) filled with kindness and compassion. Then some utter judgemental bitches. Obviously you can imagine which ones I took to heart!

Hang in there. It gets easier. All fed and nobody dead is good enough

Mine are young yet but my mum says she only started me on solid foods when I was FIVE years old. Before then she would constantly refill my milk bottle.

I had zero guidance on education. Muddled through from primary to university by myself.

Often had a packet of biscuits after school for tea.

And I (think) I turned out fine 😀

I had no choice but to divorce an abusive partner and his family

Im sick and tired of being beaten by society as a single woman. I get no CMS and no support and no benefits (earn more than the limit) no family help and Im worried I let them down daily

and then I look at my childhood with two abusive parents and ready feel like I’m doing a better job providing a safe home 🏠