What If We Got Grades In Parenting?
7:15 AMToday is report card day. It got me to thinking, what if we got grades in parenting? Would I be failing? What if there was a tiny little teacher following me around, sipping tea at the dining room table, lurking behind the racks at the store and marking down every success or parenting fail that came my way? Would the fact that I forgot to send $15 and the form so Joshua could get a yearbook yesterday be the same as not turning in my homework? Would losing my temper because the boys are threatening each other in the aisle and I taking them out to the car immediately warrant a grade of C because I did not remain completely composed?
On the other hand, getting a grade would give me something to strive for. Would let me know if I was doing anything remotely right, because let's face it. No matter how perfect a parent you think you are, you may just be grooming your kid for an orange jump suit and chain gang duty. How do you know? No one tells you, your child can look happy, healthy and even be polite, but does that mean you are earning an A?
The most any of us can do is our best, and pray that we don't screw up our kids too bad. They don't come with instructions after all, not even those 100 page instructions that come with shelves, which are in Japanese and you have to translate them or you come out with a horrendous piece of modern art instead of a bookcase. Everything else comes with instructions, even shampoo. Kind of makes you wonder huh? Life would be easier with a tiny tote-sized teacher we could stick in our purse for evaluation, but I guess you stop being graded and fly free when you are a parent. I would like to think I earn at least a B- on most days.
24 comments
Yeah, I'm not sure if I'd want to be graded on my parenting. :) Like you said, I just try to do the best I can, and pray I don't mess my son up too, badly. Although, I did ask my son once what grade he would give me, and he said, "an A+". Trust me, I will NOT be asking him that when he becomes a teen. :)
ReplyDeletehaha, yeah I dont want a grade as a parent. No. thank you
ReplyDeleteSo glad I'm not graded on my parenting. Every day I feel like such a failure....
ReplyDeleteI know that none of you ladies would get a failing grade. Some people maybe, but none of you. :)
ReplyDeleteI'm glad I'm not graded, lol. Although, I kind of feel like we are being graded with our upcoming homestudy. I hope I pass!
ReplyDeleteMy daughter got her's yesterday. I was afraid to look at it.
ReplyDeleteI'll definitely pass on getting graded. I know without a doubt that I'm not failing but I'm not perfect and have made mistakes - nothing major though.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad we don't get graded as parents. What I consider a success, some people may consider just normal parenting like bath time with no crying. lol
ReplyDeleteAdd me to the list of failures ... not in a bad way ... just the " I know I'm not giving my children everything they need." Sigh....
ReplyDeleteThank goodness the grading days are behind us. I think my average would be a B-/C+ at best.
ReplyDeleteI'd love to think that I would get A+ across the board in parenting, but the reality is probably not that. LOL
ReplyDeleteI don't want a grade!! I don't want to know...
ReplyDeleteI don't think all my grades are an A+ but I would like to think I atleast score an average C and on my good days hugs and kisses are the best grades I can get!!
ReplyDeleteI am not a fan of grades to begin with. :P
ReplyDeleteIf you average it all out, it wouldn't be so bad but maybe there would be a few failing test grades in there...
ReplyDeleteMost days I think I do well, some days I am just average, and others (like Tuesday in the grocery store line) I just fail.
ReplyDeleteI think I do okay. Some days are better and easier than others that's for sure!
ReplyDeletedepends on categories. I'm good at "laugh with my kids". I'm bad at "stay calm when my kids are not listening".
ReplyDeleteSomedays id get an A but others you feel like youve failed miserable
ReplyDeleteI would pass on grading, too.
ReplyDeleteGreat idea!
ReplyDeleteI think I'd pass on grading. We are already way to hard on ourselves to begin with.
ReplyDeleteI would hope I would get at least an A-! :)
ReplyDeleteI'm already too critical of myself - grades would just make me even more crazy!!
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