Being a good mom

I spend a lot of time questioning my parent decisions (I am a perfectionist).  I'm caught in that trap of worrying that the decision I make today will affect him for the rest of his life.  That's only partially true.  Case in point: I have to remember that when I was a kid, I wasn't much of a vegetable eater.  And look at me now!  Pretty much the only thing I won't eat is mushrooms.  Graham has inherited my love of baked goods, but again, look at me know.  I certainly don't have a weight problem, so eating some homemade goodies is clearly not an issue. 

Also: just because I chose to let my kid cry it out sometimes doesn't make me a bad mother (because sometimes I worry about that).  If there was only one right answer to the sleep dilemma there wouldn't be so many books about helping your children sleep.  Graham is an excellent sleeper, and will put himself back to sleep right away on those rare occasions that he wakes up in the middle of the night.  This was the right decision for our family, and that's ok.

But why I am writing about this now?  Because as much self doubt as I have (Am I providing Graham with enough intellectually stimulating activities?  Is he eating enough?  Is he eating too much?  Do I hug him enough?  Does he have enough structure?  Do we discipline too much?), it could be SO much worse.  I've read some applications from kids applying to my college recently who have suffered so much neglect and abuse.  Even some of those who have parents who love them live in such adverse poverty that they have to claw themselves out to find a better life.  I read these applications of kids who have to fight for everything and I realize that Graham will never have to want for anything.  He has a roof over his head (and I hope against hope that such will always be the case), he has food on his plate, he has his own room, he access to quality education, and most importantly, he has parents who love him and would never let anyone or anything hurt him.

I guess I am a good mom after all.