Stop telling parents, "You signed up for this."

We know.

As you said —

WE.

SIGNED.

UP.

FOR.

IT.

But nowhere — not in a single spot on that fictitious sign-up paper — did it say, "And therefore you cannot complain."

And so complain I will.

Not because I don't love my kids.

Not because being their mother isn't the absolute greatest blessing of my life.

Not because I'm an ungrateful, whiny witch of a woman.

But because...

wait for it...

wait for it...

because sharing my ups and downs with others is therapeutic,
a release,

a highway to introspection and improvement and a way for this incredibly imperfect woman to not feel such an enormous, mood and life-sucking weight for being flawed (like every other single gosh darn human on this planet).

You say I signed up for this, and I don't refute that fact.

What I do disapprove of, though, is anyone touting that such a fact means I've got to get every part of parenting right and never have a negative thing to say about it.

I signed up for this because I know I'm capable.

I signed up for this because I want to raise other humans to believe they are capable.

I signed up for this, and I have never regretted it for a minute, and I never will.

What I do regret?

Ever, EVER, letting anyone, anywhere make me feel like I can't say when something is hard or challenges me.

'Cause if it isn't hard, I've got to think, maybe you ain't doing it right.