What Is The True Definition of a Great Parent(s)?

This is the common question that always asked among us parents.  Am I being a good parent? Could I have done any better? What could I have done different? Etc. Etc. Etc.  I am one of those parents that always ask myself these questions at least once a week.  Being a parent is a very hard task but a very enjoyable one.  But let me back this up a bit.  What is a true definition as a great parent? I can tell you that the word perfect is no where near this definition.  Being a great parent is doing as much as you can for your child or children without the materialistic items to be involved. You cannot buy your child's happiness or good behavior. Some of us, including me, learned the hard way and try to change that child to understand that materialistic items won't make you that happy.  As a parent you can show them love, happiness, and compassion.  Being there when they need to talk, laughing at their jokes even though they are not that funny, dropping what you like to do or had to get done to do what your kiddos like to do.  Examples are coloring, reading, playing outside or inside, taking them to parks, watching movies at home together, camp out nights in your livingroom, etc. Just those simple things can make a very huge difference in your child or children's lives.

If you have more than one child its very hard to try to do everything you can for each of them. In the past I have learned to set aside times to do things with one child and my husband do things with the other and vice versa. I know that if you are a single parent that this is a little harder.  I once was a single parent and know how hard it was to do things with my little man and work three jobs to pay for things we needed.  But as long as you are there for them and not shove them off cuz you have more important things to do or only thinking of yourself then you are doing awesome. 

Just today I received a great compliment when I was getting my hair and eyebrows done. I was told that my boys (ages 11 and 5) are very well behaved and have amazing manners.  I was told by my hair dresser that my husband and I have done a really good job as parents.  Hearing something like that makes you feel amazing and great knowing that those questions are answered by one person's compliment.