The parenting process

I spent the evening yesterday with family, including my brother, his partner and their two gorgeous boys. I only tend to see them every few months and I'm always blown away by how much the boys have changed and learnt in such a short space of time.

They're super cute, intelligent, funny and charming as hell. Of course, being an Aunty and not seeing them as often as I would like may mean that I only get to see the good stuff and that I am a little biased. 

However, as a mum-to-be, I'm already starting to think about how my own child is going to turn out and how others will perceive not only my child, but mine and D's parenting skills.

Children don't come with an instruction book, and yes you can buy all sorts of parenting guides but your child is unique and the parents are the ones who know the child and what works best for them.

It's a challenge for sure and I can imagine how easy it would be to see only the things that you perceive you've failed on and occasionally forget just how much you and your child have achieved.  It's a learning curve and there will be mistakes along the way, but if you accept this and learn from them, there is no failure.

My brother and partner have so much to be proud of with their boys and I can't wait spend more time with them all again today before they head back home.