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Be a Great Mum: What is parenting confidence?

by Judy Reith

Bringing up children is a joy and a challenge and it doesn’t stop when they have left home. Wondering if you are doing what‘s best for your children and questioning your ability to know about everything from what to cook for tea to how to choose a school, or sorting out squabbles or running a birthday party is such a huge job. It’s not surprising it feels very overwhelming and knocks your confidence. The best kind of confidence that helps parents feel resourceful is built strongly within, and not dependent on external influences to help you feel you are a good enough parent. Signs of a confident parent would be that he or she can sustain a positive outlook, be happy with their parenting standards being good enough, (not perfect) and be willing to engage with their children through play and learning. It’s normal to have days when you feel more able to do this than others, but the trick is to recognize that you can take steps to boost your confidence from within. Instead of paying attention to opinions and attitudes that question your confidence, whether from your own internal critic or external friends and family, remind yourself that you are still doing an amazing job caring for your children and wanting the best for them when there are many pressures to overcome.
Judy Reith. www.parentingpeople.co.uk


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