Why God, Why?????

God, WHY is parenting so hard? Like seriously, this is the hardest thing ever!!!! After the kids came into my life, there is this constant battle to turn that little person into the best person they can be. And most of the time I’m not even sure if I’m winning or losing the battle. It’s not as if I have “fallen off the horse” of parenting. It’s more like…I’m not even sure I was ever on a horse to begin with! Maybe I am riding along a disc-earth that floats on top of an elephant as it rides on the back of a giant turtle thru space (yep….Terry Pratchett.)  Of all the technological advancements, why hasn’t someone figured out how to make parenting easier.
Furthermore, I never know if I’m doing a good job or not. Of course there’s the law telling you what to do and what not to do for a child, but no “normal” parent is trying to break the law or anything. (And I do consider myself normal.) Now, let’s think about this for a minute. When I’m baking a new cookie recipe, I will know in 8-12 minutes if that cookie recipe will be any good. I can plant a seed and know within a few months whether or not I have done a good job assisting that seed to bear fruit. I can get a great rate online for car insurance in under 15 minutes. But parenting gives no feedback. I can be raising a kid for a solid 18 years only to find out that they are rotten.
I don’t receive any type of performance reviews for all this hard work I put in. I don’t get a raise or a stipend, not a single certificate or even a “Thank You” letter from the Department of Children Services for doing a good job. But let me slip on my parental duties and everyone will be ready to throw the axe at me. Seriously DCS, sending me a little token of appreciation on the kids’ birthday just to show that you appreciate my steps towards creating a decent citizen isn’t too much to ask for.
Did you know that there are animals who are born ready to conquer life.? Seriously, just Google it! But us….No….I must parent for a solid 18 years, in some cases longer, before they know if they’ve raised a decent human being. 18 YEARS!!!!!!! That’s 216 months or 6,570 days!!!!!!!!!
One would think parenting would become easier the more kids you have. But NO!!!! It’s equally difficult, if not more, with each child. What worked with Child #1, may not work with Child #2. In my case, what worked for Child #1 did not work with Child #2A or Child #2B. What worked for Child #2A did not work for Child #2B. What worked with Child #2A or Child #2B definitely did not work for Child #3. It’s like each child came with a different set of college-level prerequisites and a syllabus written in Klingon.
I bet some parents even have Parental Depression.  {Parental Depression: A mental disorder characterized by persistently depressed mood or loss of interest in activities due to having no time of your own, thus causing significant impairment in daily adult life. Parents with Parental Depression often experience periods of “Why Do I Even Bother” and “How Many Times Must I Ask You The Same Thing” followed by “When the Hell is Bedtime” or “Just Leave Me Alone.”}
And if you’ve been wondering why I haven’t been blogging lately…..this is why…PARENTING IS TOO HARD.
(sips beer, rolls eyes and walks off stage.)

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