Even Great Parents Face Their Fair Share of Epic Fails

home insemination Kit

May 19, 2016

They say true character is revealed during a crisis. If that’s the case, I’m pretty sure I’m failing spectacularly at this whole parenting gig.

One Sunday morning, I strolled into our hallway and was greeted by a puddle of water on our freshly refinished wood floors. Upon investigating the bathroom, I discovered that my son had turned our toilet into a miniature geyser. (And they say women use too much toilet paper!)

If this little crisis showcased my true self, let’s just say I emerged as a frazzled, expletive-spewing mom who wasn’t thrilled about the idea of wading in toilet overflow. I wish I could say I calmly searched for the nonexistent plunger while instructing my kids to help. Spoiler alert: that did not happen.

Instead, I lost my cool. I yelled for towels—towels that were mid-cycle in the washing machine, of course. I unleashed a string of curse words that surprised even me.

On my way to the store, I texted my husband, “One of the kids overflowed the toilet again. Can’t find the plunger. Headed to the store.” His response? A simple LOL.

I decided against replying because, honestly, who finds humor in fecal matter? I opted for silence instead; my mom always said if you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all.

After I managed to fix the toilet and clean up the disaster, we somehow made it to church on time, looking surprisingly composed. No one had a clue about the toilet explosion or the stress bubbling beneath the surface. But deep down, I felt like I was failing at life.

After the service, a kind stranger approached me and complimented my children, attributing their great character to my parenting. As he walked away, I watched my kids laughing and playing, and all I could do was sob.

In my moment of perceived failure, someone else recognized the fruits of my labor as a parent. It’s not about perfection. Some days, it feels like I’m barely keeping my head above water. The silver lining? Each new day brings fresh chances to improve. Often, our biggest blunders lead to valuable life lessons—sometimes even at our own expense. If we believed we were nailing this parenting thing all the time, we might miss the real purpose of being a parent.

Parenting can be tough, and some days it downright stinks. But that doesn’t mean you are a bad parent.

If you’re looking for more insights, check out our other blog on home insemination techniques at Intracervical Insemination. Plus, if you’re interested in the tools for at-home insemination, Make a Mom offers an excellent kit. And for those navigating fertility and insurance questions, UCSF’s resource is invaluable.

Summary:

Even the best parents have moments where everything falls apart, revealing their true character under pressure. A humorous yet chaotic Sunday morning toilet overflow led to an eye-opening realization that parenting isn’t about perfection but growth and learning from failures.