This week’s prompt asks the question: ‘Are women better parents than men?’
Someone (I suspect it was a man) once said that when you’re a child you learn the difference between right and wrong and when you get married you learn the difference between right and ‘correct’. Hubby and I laugh over this, but there is an element of truth in it. I have to confess that I can be a bit of a control freak and it can be hard for me to see that just because hubby does not do things ‘my’ way, doesn’t mean that he is doing it wrong. Whether it’s the way he loads the dishwasher or the way he parents our children, I have to learn to accept that he has his way of doing things and I have mine. As long as we’re generally singing from the same songbook, does it really matter if we have differing approaches?
Am I a better parent than my husband? Sometimes I think I would be tempted to answer ‘yes’ – especially on those days when I am stubborn and insisting that my way is the right way to do things. After all, it is me who does the lion’s share of the parenting, me who is there day-in-day out having to deal with the mundane, the little things, the things that hubby doesn’t notice or think of when he takes over the parenting role and gives me some time out. But just because I do most of the parenting does not mean that I am the better parent. We bring different skills, different approaches, we complement each other. I might be the one that my babies run to first when they fall over and need cuddles, but hubby has more patience when we are both struggling under the fog of sleep-deprivation and is more laid-back than I am. Under this kind of pressure, I would say he is the better parent just because he is the calmer parent.
On the whole, I would say that most parents, whether they’re fathers or mothers, are trying to do the best job they can for their children. Who is the better parent doesn’t really matter – as long as our children are loved and looked after, we are doing a great job. And on the whole, I think most of us are better parents when we are working together, as a team.
Joining in with mumturnedmom for The Prompt:
Couldn’t have said it better, you and your husband sound a lot like me and mine 🙂 I too am a control freak and have to work on not telling him he’s doing things ‘wrong’! You are absolutely right that team work makes us all better parents. It gives us a break, and perspective, when we need it and gives our children the benefit of different strengths from each of us. Thanks so such for linking to #ThePrompt x
Things definitely work better when we are a team – but as you say, it is so hard sometimes to accept that ‘different’ does not mean ‘wrong’! Lovely to join in with #ThePrompt again 🙂
This is totally my partner and I. Neither of us are the better parent, but when I’m having a crappy day and he breezes in like “hey, it’s not that bad…” Arrrgh! He has been fantastic with the baby the last couple of days as I’ve had to put in extra time at work and baby has been poorly. He give as much as I do, even though it doesn’t always feel that way.
Anyway, confessional aside, excellent post x
Thank you – yes, sometimes it is hard to see past the difficult days and appreciate the effort your partner puts in, isn’t it? I can get so blinkered sometimes! Hope your little one is better soon x
Thank you. He’s all good now. Just toddler tummy. Hopefully he won’t be up all night tonight! Mummy and Daddy need SLEEP! x
Glad he’s feeling better and hope you manage a good night’s sleep tonight!