We put so much pressure on ourselves to get parenting right. To say all the right things, do all the right things, never lose our cool, always know the answer. But that kind of perfection doesn’t exist—and honestly, it’s not what our kids need most.
What they need is you. Not some polished, superhuman version of you, but your real presence. Your honesty. Your effort. Your love, even on the messy days.
Being present doesn’t mean being available 24/7 or never making mistakes. It means showing up—emotionally, mentally, even when you’re tired or unsure. It means admitting when you don’t know, apologising when you get it wrong, and staying open when they need you most.
Honesty teaches them that being human is okay. That emotions are safe. That love doesn’t disappear when things get hard. You’re modeling how to be a real person—not someone who has it all figured out, but someone who keeps trying, keeps learning, keeps showing up.
That’s what stays with them. Not the picture-perfect moments, but the ones where they saw you trying your best, loving them anyway, and being real. And that? That’s more than enough.