When You Think You’re a Bad Parent

 When You Think You’re a Bad Parent

But You’re Really Just Human

The first time a mom told me she thought she was a bad parent for yelling at her kids, I could see the shame all over her face.
And when I told her, “Oh, I’ve done that too,” she let out a sigh of relief and said,
"You do that too?"

That moment stuck with me.
Because it’s not the only time it’s happened.
I’ve had that conversation more times than I can count—moms (and dads) who are overwhelmed, exhausted, and beating themselves up for losing their temper.

Here’s the thing:
I’m not saying it’s okay to yell all the time.
I’m not saying we shouldn’t work on staying calm.
But I am saying that raising little humans is hard—and losing your cool doesn’t mean you’re a bad parent.

It means you’re human.

None of us enjoy those moments. Not our kids. Not us.
But what matters is what happens next. Do we reflect? Do we apologize? Do we try again tomorrow?

That’s what makes all the difference.

I once saw a TikTok where a mom said she goes to therapy now because her mom was “too perfect.”
She never saw her mom mess up, never heard an apology.
And now she’s navigating adulthood with no idea how to handle conflict or imperfection.

That stuck with me too.

Because our kids don’t need a perfect parent.
They need a real one.

One who can say, “I’m sorry.”
One who can model growth, repair, and grace.
One who knows when to ask for help, take a break, and refill their emotional cup.

Parenting isn’t about being calm 100% of the time.
It’s about learning to pause, breathe, reflect, and keep moving forward.

So if you’ve had a moment this week—or today—where you lost it, raised your voice, or felt like you were failing…

You’re not.

You’re trying. You’re learning. And you’re growing.
And that matters more than you know.

“The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease.
Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning.”
—Lamentations 3:22-23