A few weeks ago, I was sent a list of questions for an interview. They told me they were looking for fast answers, word association-ish. My kind of questions. I buzzed through the first 14, but the last one left me completely stumped: What kind of parent are you, it asked. What kind of parent am I? In a few words? What the hell kind of question is that?
I came back to it again and again, hoping for some sort of epiphany, but no spark of genius came to me.
I settled on "I am a parent who tries," but the question seemed to beg for so much more.
So, to answer the question in more than a few words...
I am a breastfeeding failure whose children still managed to thrive.
I am a parenting class drop-out.
I am an unintentional co-sleeper.
I am an out of frustration yeller.
I am an infrequent school volunteer-er.
I am a reluctant short order cook.
I am an unfortunate curser.
I am a thank you note believer, but often forgetter.
I am a Betty Crocker baker.
I am a laugher, at all the wrong moments.
I am an incompetent homework helper.
I am a skip the bath if you've been to the pool believer.
I am a documenter of the little moments.
I am a lover of my children, but disliker of most others.
I am a well intentioned mistake maker.
I am a laid back obsessor.
I am an over-bandager if it stops the crying.
I am a "tomorrow is a new day" vower.
Basically? I'm a parent who tries.
I guess my answer wasn't that far off, after all.
What kind of parent are you?
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