To ask how you know you’re a good parent and whether you ever wonder if you’re not?

[kitkatsky]

What makes a good parent? Are you a good parent? What makes you think you are? Do you ever wonder if you are or not?

Mine are all grown up, so I can look at it with hindsight.

I think I was fairly OK, but I did make mistakes. It was hard though bringing up 4 of them on my own (their father died when the younger two were quite young). I always made sure that I listened to them and talked to them. Also, no holding grudges - tomorrow is another day.

Now they are grown up, I am immensely proud of them and feel so privileged that they want to spend time with me.

I'm a terrible parent. Fortunately I have very forgiving children, as ds2 told me- " you may not be perfect but you are doing your best to be a good parent and that's what counts".

Now my eldest is a teenager I'm finding parenting harder than ever to get right. It's certainly where my parents fucked things up with me and I'm trying my hardest to not make the same mistakes but I think sometimes I'm making the same and different ones! I try my best all the time and my kids are pretty good people I think. It's never easy!

I think I'm a good mum. I am however only human and I am making it up as I go along. I try my best, I make sure she is loved beyond words, fed a good diet, given the right opportunities to play and learn and I keep trying, no matter how hard it gets. I often reflect on my behaviour to make sure I don't keep making the same mistakes and I try to listen to her and value her feelings and opinions. I give her boundaries that make her feel secure. I apologise when I get it wrong, because I think that is important. I'm not perfect, and I don't aim for perfect. I just try my best.

I don't think I'm a good parent. I'd have left stbxh if I were.

Black tea, sounds like you're leaving him now though. It's not an easy thing to do, be kind to yourself.

I think I'm a lot better at being a parent than I expected to be. Especially being a single parent. That wasn't part of my plan but everyone's pretty happy and well adjusted.