If you ever find yourself questioning your parenting skills, consider volunteering as a chaperone on a school field trip. Recently, I had the opportunity to accompany my child’s second-grade class to the theater, and it was truly an eye-opening experience. I noticed many parents who seemed entirely at ease sending their children off looking like they had just rolled out of bed—unbuttoned shirts, mismatched pants, untied shoes, and the occasional smudge of something unidentifiable on their faces. And this wasn’t just any ordinary day; it was a special field trip! To the theater, no less!
Maybe these parents have already accepted what many of us are still grappling with: kids can be a bit gross, and there’s little point in stressing over it. Regardless of their reasons, I’m grateful to these parents for reminding me that my own parenting efforts, while sometimes lacking, are not the end of the world.
So, here’s a heartfelt thank you:
To the parents of the child with two days’ worth of dried snot on his face: At first, I wondered if his mother had even glanced at him that morning. But seeing him prompted me to check my own child, who, surprise surprise, also had boogers clinging to his nostrils. I may have told him to eat breakfast and brush his teeth, but I clearly didn’t give him a thorough once-over before we left.
To the parents of the delightful child who sat next to me on the bus, regaling me with the epic saga of how her mother spent “practically all day” combing lice from her hair: First off, I’ve never slicked my hair back into a ponytail so quickly. Secondly, thank you for reminding me that my childhood lice experiences weren’t so unusual. It’s comforting to think about the many times my kids might face those pesky critters in the years to come. And now, of course, my head itches.
To the parents of the child who boasted about their new motor home, four-wheeler, and a house with a “really big” pool: Hearing about your child’s lavish lifestyle made me feel a bit better about our own short sale from years ago. So, when are we scheduling a playdate so our kids can have fun with your impressive collection of toys?
To the parents of the kid whose lunch consisted of a pre-packaged PB&J, a long fruit roll-up, a chocolate treat, Cheez-Its, and chocolate milk: You’ve helped me feel better about not letting my child live on junk food. I admit I initially felt a bit judgmental, but who knows? Maybe your child doesn’t chew on the dog’s tail or scratch the walls like mine does when he consumes too much sugar.
To the parents of the child who wandered ahead, lagged behind, hid, and even attempted to head-butt everyone around him: Oh wait, that was my child. Never mind.
To the parents of the child who needed water every ten seconds and constantly asked me to hold their hat or jacket: Thanks for justifying my decision to make my child wait for things and adhere to my schedule instead of bending to his every whim. I feel more confident about encouraging his independence—except when it comes to shoelaces. He just mastered that skill two weeks ago! (It’s not my fault Velcro shoes are always on sale!)
To the parents of the little one who proudly declared her breath stank and, when asked about brushing her teeth, opened her mouth wide to reveal five shiny silver crowns: Thank you for inspiring me to put my kids in headlocks tonight and give them a thorough teeth-brushing session. I’d rather not face the dental bill that comes with those crowns!
To all these parents: You each, in your own way, made me feel a bit more at ease with my parenting journey. Thank you for providing me, if only for a day, with the comfort that I’m not completely failing at this wonderfully sticky job called parenting—or at least, I’m not alone in this chaotic adventure.
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In summary, a field trip can be a refreshing reminder that we’re all just doing our best in this parenting game, and sometimes, seeing other parents’ experiences can help us feel a little better about our own.