Topic: Parenting strategies don't work.

Challenge of the Day:
Write a list of 2 of your strengths and 2 of your weaknesses as a mom, as a wife or just as a human being. Keep them on a note in your phone, on a post it on your bathroom mirror or written on a bookmark on your night stand. Begin to use your strengths and your weaknesses to cultivate your life plans -- the way you parent, the way you improve your marriage and just the way you live your life. Self awareness is the first step in learning to create a live you love. You and only you can create that for yourself.

Quote of the Day:
"In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you. If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well. If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly." - Romans 12: 6-8

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Parenting strategies don't work and yet there are millions of books and online resources out there that tell you "the best parenting strategies out there." How to get your baby to sleep through the night in 3 days, how to potty train a 1 year old in less than a week...and the list goes on.

Let me preface this by saying I love that there are so many resources out there for moms. The world wide web has created so many possibilities for us and so much great content. And heck, the world wide web has created my dream job - blogging - but in some cases, I really think it can be a monster.

"If that baby was potty trained by 14 months old, then I must be doing something wrong. I must be failing at parenting."

Wrong.

And you know why? Every kid is different.

You've heard it and I'm going to say it again. Every kid is different. Every kid has their strengths and every kid has their weaknesses. Every single kid on this Earth. Do you think that because Ava started walking at 9 months old, that she's automatically going to be a track star when she grows up? Nope. But I'd bet a million dollars that there are track stars out there that started walking "late" according to doctors and those little checklists they have us fill out at each appointment.

And furthermore, every parent is different.

Maybe I'm not very mentally strong or who knows what it is but I would never be able to do "the cry it out method." Never in a million years could I do it. I can't handle Ava crying for more than 34 seconds before I have to pick her up and console her. But there are millions of parents out there who do it and it works out great. It's just not for me.

We did the cry it out method for a couple of days when we couldn't get Ava to go to bed for the life of us and it was taking us literally 3-4 hours to get her to sleep every single night. That's not even an exaggeration. And you know what part I took in that? No part. None, nada, zip. I went into the shower where I couldn't hear the crying because it would have broken my mama heart and I made my husband do all of the dirty work.

And I'm going to take it one step further:

Our moods and our hearts and our mental strength changes day to day and even minute to minute depending on the circumstances around us. Some days I'm like, "heck yeah, I'm totally a super mom" and other days I feel like the worst mom in the world. Some days I just want to give up because I feel like I'm failing so miserably at mom life. And sometimes those two thoughts both happen in the same day.

You see, every human being in life is different. Every kid is different, every adult is different and we all have strengths and weaknesses. What works for one of us may not work for another and what works for me one day may not work for me the next. So while parenting strategies and resources are great to use as just that, a resource and not some sort of "know all", they're not for everyone. Parenting strategies are great when you pick and choose the parts that work best for you and the parts that work best for your kids. And each individual kid, at that. What works for your best friend probably won't work the same for you and what works for your first kid most likely won't work for your second.

So use parenting strategies as a resource and understand that you do have strengths, whether you believe it or not. You just have to seek them out and learn how to use them and work them into your daily life.

Head up to the top of this post to check out today's challenge and quote of the day and
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