As a Type A, 'good enough' has never been a phrase that resonated with me. I mean, I changed my phone wallpaper to 'Live to my potential.' But, what if trying to be a supermom actually wasn't best for our kids?
After observing thousands of moms and babies, Donald Winnicott (in 1953!) started promoting being a 'good enough mother.' Kids actually benefit when their mother's fail them in manageable ways (nothing serious like abuse or neglect).
Teaches grit: The world is imperfect and will fail them often. They need to experience that life can be hard, they might not get what they want, and they will still be OK.
Encourages experimentation: Seeing you learn from failures encourages them to do the same. Yell at your kids? Use it as a learning opportunity to teach about good and bad ways to deal with anger. Point out your mistakes and what you're learning.
Helps them discover themselves. Boredom is good for kids -- it helps them be creative, figure out what interests them, and contemplate life.
So, give yourself a break. Good enough is actually great. #parenting
