Have I got it wrong?

GCSE day.

Here’s what I’ve learnt.

I have not been the parent I thought I would be.

I always believed that I would be a pushy parent, prioritising my children’s education, pushing them to achieve and be the best.
I haven’t.
I always believed that I would stick to my guns and never let my children play a video game they weren’t old enough for.
I haven’t
I always believed I would teach my children the skills they need to live on their own.
I haven’t
I always believed I would make my children participate in chores.
I haven’t.

The truth is, my parenting skills couldn’t have been further from the parent I thought I would be.

Why? Because this shit’s hard! These choices aren’t black and white. Children, parents, life doesn’t followed a straight track.

What have I done?
I have prioritised them over everything else. I have fought for them, picked them up, made them laugh, made them safe.
I have taught them to make reasoned decisions when temptation comes their way. To understand that the fun decision may not always be the right decision.
I have taught them how to find a way, how to figure out how to do things when they might have absolutely no clue what to do.
I have been a right softy, I’ve let them be children.
Most of all, I have loved them, every second from the point I found out I was pregnant.

Today’s results will bring what they may, but together we will nail it.