7. Finding the Balance: Parenting Without a Manual.

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Teacher, nurse, coach, correctional officer, mentor, support worker, driver, cook…
The roles we take on as parents are endless. And as our kids grow, the roles don’t disappear—they just shift in weight and intensity.

But how do you know if you’re getting the balance right?
There’s no manual. No guidebook. No helpline to call. And just when you think you’ve figured it out, life throws you a curveball. What works for one child might completely flop with another. Every child is different, and the only person who’s supposed to know them best is you—the one who raised them, nurtured them, tried your best.

😵 But what if I did it wrong?
What if the things I thought were good for them actually caused harm? What if I focused on the wrong areas? Can I fix it? How do I fix it?

Part of me has had those fleeting, wild thoughts like—“Maybe I’ll have another baby and get it right this time.”
Hell no.
That might be great for the new baby… but for the first one? That’s not healing—that’s replacing. And that’s not fair to them, or to me.

I can’t rewind time. I can’t undo the moments I got it wrong.
But what I can do is face it. Own it. Accept where the balance has tipped too far in the wrong direction, and fight like hell to bring it back.

I may not have done everything perfectly—but I still have time to do better. And maybe, just maybe, one day I’ll hear them say, “You got it right, Mum.”