trust your training

today i cheered on my friend as she ran the new york half marathon.  a few of us made signs and raced around manhatten to see her four times during the two hours and four minutes it took her to run 13.1 miles.  she made it look so easy, but i know the struggle to put one foot in front of the other for even one mile can be challenging, let alone 13.1. but she had trained everyday for months, her body was ready to run.  one friend made a sign that said 'trust your training' (see picture above) and it got me thinking.  

becoming a parent also requires us to trust our training.  there is no one right way to parent or any way to tell if what we choose to do it right, but we have to trust in ourselves that we are making the best decisions, with the knowledge that we have, for our children.  'training' for parenthood starts with childhood when we were parented, then as we have kids we might add to that knowledge with classes, books/magazines/blogs, support groups to help us try to gather and sort through the massive amount of information there is out there and decide what is best for us and our families.  

a friend and i once remarked to another mom that she made parenting look so easy.  she scoffed and wondered how we could think that when she said she feels like she is barely surviving sometimes.  she said she hopes what she is doing is 'right'.  but then we got to talking about how parenting is something we have to  trained for.  we read books, we belong to moms' groups, we continually try things and reflect on what works for our children and what was only good in theory or for someone else's family.  with each new stage and age we 'train' ourselves so that we can continue helping our children become independent, empathetic, communicative, and loving little beings.

yes when it comes to parenting, it is a struggle at times to put one foot in front of the other and keep going, but   i will continue to train and trust that my training will help me to be the best mom that i can be.  i will do the best i can with the knowledge i have.  i will continue to train and adjust my parenting as i learn new things, and as my children grow and change.  i will rely on my instincts and stick to my beliefs, trusting that my training has and is worthwhile.  i am so proud of the little people my kids are today, through struggles and 'easy' times, i trust my training.