It’s a quest for perfection — you’re seeking a world without worry, its boundaries tamed by white picket fences, its hours all easy. You want the flower box simplicities and apple pie routines. Every day is to be devoted to all-American ideals. Every grin is to be offered freely. You wish for a family without flaw and a life without tedium.
Such a wish is — sadly — impossible.
The years cannot be defined to gardens and gazebos, the eager innocence. They must instead be understood as real — with faults and misconceptions, broken promises and tensions. The process of living is not an easy one.
It is, however, more vital because of it.
There is no such thing as perfection. This is a truth so many parents fear. They wonder if they’ll ever achieve success with children who demand more than they can give. But accomplishing a happy home does not require the sterile seconds (bland and inoffensive). It instead simply needs communication, forgiveness and (much) laughter.
Your family is shaped by its joys, its tragedies, and its domestic moments. All of these tangle together to form lives — you must then seek to fill them with as much amusement as you can manage, countering all concerns with humor and compassion. Accidents will occur; anger will spark. These are certainties in a very uncertain world. But, if you’re willing to speak with your children and truly listen to their opinions, you will be able to undo any problems.
Seek open dialogues, easy laughter and endless acceptance. Don’t cling to past wrongs or future worries. Don’t begrudge the occasional monotony (it’s bound to happen). Instead understand the meaning of family: to love and be loved. Gain trust through communication; gain respect through honesty; and ensure all memories are shaded happy by offering your time and your energy.
There can be no perfection. There can, however, be a new (better) American dream.