I became a parent for the first time just over three years ago and I swear I spent most of my time feeling like I had no idea what I was doing. I think I felt that way for the entire first year of my daughter's life!
But just today I found myself feeling the exact same way but for very a different reason.
My 3-year-old daughter is in preschool now. She loves her school but she has "homework" due in class Thursday. Okay... maybe I should clarify. It's not really homework for her - it has become homework for me!
You see, she has to decorate a box for Valentine's Day that will be celebrated on Thursday. Now, keep in mind that I originally thought the teachers were asking for us to send an empty shoebox to school so the kids could decorate them this week. But no... they want a fully-decorated box by this Thursday. I'm fairly certain that I am the only mom who sent an empty shoebox to school with my daughter.
So here comes the "I have no idea what I'm doing" parenting moment. I tried to get my toddler to decorate one with me today. She looked at me like I was an alien or something. She has no idea what a box for Valentine's Day is and she could care less. So I spent a large portion of my afternoon decorating one for her. I have never done this before but somehow, I made it happen. I even cut out hearts like I used to do when I was a kid! I have no idea how I remembered how to do that in my fog of sleeplessness either!
It's nothing special but it's my first one and I'm proud of it. I am not certain that my daughter will care about it but I'm proud of myself for getting it done even if it means that an empty shoebox is going to have to sit in my daughter's cubby hole until the end of the year!
(Copyright 2011 by KARE. All Rights Reserved.)