Parenting is, at times, much like the Peace Corps. It’s the toughest job you’ll ever love. It’s a challenging endeavor that brings questions, triumphs, trials and, yes, errors.
Social media has a way of rearing its ugly head when it comes to parenting. The armchair parents (think armchair quarterbacks) point out what they believe constitutes bad parenting from behind a computer screen and keyboard.
In recent weeks, the bad parenting pointing often put dear Duchess Meghan Markle in the spotlight (she loses the duchess title come May). Apparently the way she held Baby Archie in her arms while walking in Canada was just wrong. Many a naysayer jumped to condemn her for it.
Is Archie alive? Yes. Cared for? Apparently. Between his mother and most likely help that she receives, he is probably happy and healthy. That’s all we can hope for when it comes to any child — happiness, health and well-being.
Watching “Live with Kelly and Ryan” on ABC last Tuesday morning (Jan. 21, 2020) while preparing for work, Kelly Ripa brought up a study that indicates American parents make an average of 221 mistakes a year raising children. Conducted by OnePoll for Boudreaux’s Butt Paste, 2,000 parents ages 23 and up indicated the average mistakes per day — adding up to nearly 4,000 mishaps by the time Junior hits age 18.
The top three boo-boos that parents commit, according to the study, include: allowing too much screen time for the kiddos; teaching swear words by accident (little pitchers …) and letting youngsters watch age-inappropriate content, according to an article on www.foxnews.com about the study.
The top three no-nos had audience members and Kelly laughing and acknowledging that yes, these things happen probably more often than not. I know I was nodding right along with them.
Oops. Well, things happen. Regardless, life goes on, and so do the daily parenting duties. With that in mind, instead of trying to downgrade and point out parental wrongdoings, we should try and help one another stay afloat on the parenting boat. After all, we’re all in this together.
The mom of a dancing teen and a tween who enjoys scouting and hockey, Katie Campomizzi-Clews is a copy editor at The Republican-Herald. She began her career at The RH as a staff writer following graduation from Lycoming College, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in mass communication with a minor in psychology. She shares her experiences of balancing work and parenting and takes a look at issues, events and trends concerning parents and children.