Some parenting decisions haunt us—like buying a white sofa or agreeing to a guinea pig.
Others? They stick with us for all the right reasons.
Here’s to the choices, big and small, that made the wild, sticky, sleep-deprived ride a little sweeter.
1. Saying Yes to Messy Play
The kitchen still bears the scars of that first finger-painting session. Was it worth it? Absolutely.
Watching little faces discover that blue and yellow make green (and that both colours look great in hair) is a kind of magic classroom can’t offer. The laundry pile can wait. Childhood curiosity won’t.
2. Reading One More Story
Even when eyelids felt like lead weights, a whispered “Just one more?” melted away resistance. Research from the American Academy of Pediatrics finds that shared reading helps boost language skills and parent-child bonding.
Turns out, Goodnight Moon has magical properties for grownups too—mostly nostalgia and the power to end a tantrum with a bunny.
3. Apologising When I Was Wrong
Tough on the pride, easy on the relationship. The first time I said, “I’m sorry, I lost my temper,” small eyebrows shot up. Kids learn by example that grownups make mistakes—and that fixing them matters.
Bonus: you might hear “I’m sorry I whinged for six hours about the broccoli” in return. (Miracles happen.)
4. Playing the Games I Dreaded
Some children adore Monopoly. Some parents do not. Still, I’ve played more rounds than I can count, and each time, I found a new reason to laugh—or to teach about the art of losing gracefully.
Family games aren’t about the pieces or the rules: they’re about togetherness, negotiation, and the odd passive-aggressive property deal.
5. Taking the Detour for Ice Cream
Schedules are lovely, but a surprise cone on the way home from school? That’s the stuff memories are made of.
Spontaneity can turn a Tuesday into a holiday. Just don’t ask for a taste of their chocolate chip. You know how that ends.
6. Putting the Phone Away
Social media isn’t going anywhere, but bedtime snuggles vanish too quickly. I’ll never regret silencing notifications and making eye contact over dinner—even if the conversation is mostly about who picked their nose at nursery.
7. Letting Them Dress Themselves
Was sending a child to the supermarket in a Batman cape and wellies my original plan? No. Was it the best photo I’ve ever taken? Absolutely.
Independence starts with small choices, and sometimes those choices are neon tutus in November.
8. Laughing at the Chaos
One child is painting the dog. Another is feeding spaghetti to the DVD player. There are only two options: scream or laugh.
Choosing laughter, even when the day is falling apart, helps everyone find their way back to calm. And, hey, the dog’s new look suits him.
9. Creating Ridiculous Family Traditions
Every Friday night, we eat dinner on the living room floor and watch a film. Sometimes the “picnic” is fish fingers and sometimes it’s takeaway curry, but the tradition matters more than the menu.
Experts say rituals like this help kids feel secure and valued—even if it means picking popcorn out of the rug for weeks.
10. Praising the Effort, Not Just the Outcome
When a wonky Lego tower collapsed, I cheered the building, not the result. Growth mindset, according to psychologist Carol Dweck, starts young.
Kids who hear, “You worked so hard on that!” keep trying. (And eventually, the towers stop toppling. Mostly.)
11. Asking for Their Opinions
Dinner debates about the best pizza topping run hot in our house. Giving kids a voice (even on trivial matters) teaches them their ideas matter.
Sometimes you’ll land on pineapple-and-pepperoni. Sometimes you’ll veto with the parental right of “Because I said so.”
12. Letting Big Feelings Happen
Tears over broken biscuits feel enormous when you’re four. Instead of rushing to fix, I learned to sit and listen.
Child psychologists point out that validating emotions helps children develop resilience and self-control—skills that come in handy long after the biscuits are gone.
13. Getting Outside Even When It’s Grim
Wellies, raincoats, and a determination to ignore the drizzle: that’s British parenting in a nutshell. Puddle jumping isn’t just about exercise—it’s freedom, wonder, and sometimes, a spectacular wipeout.
You’ll miss those muddy smiles when the house is suspiciously quiet in a decade.
14. Saying No and Sticking to It
Boundaries feel like the hardest gift to give. No, you can’t have another biscuit. No, we can’t stay up for “just five more minutes.” Kids might protest (loudly), but they crave structure.
Consistency now saves you from negotiating with a teenager who believes sleep is optional.
15. Sharing My Passions
Kids light up when you share hobbies—whether it’s baking, birdwatching, or questionable karaoke.
I once introduced a child to gardening; now, our tomatoes are mostly eaten by slugs, but the giggles over muddy hands are worth every failed harvest.
16. Accepting Help (and the Chaos that Comes With It)
Saying yes when a friend offered to babysit or when grandparents showed up with a casserole felt awkward at first.
It’s easier to parent well when you accept a village, even if it means losing control of your sock drawer or discovering your children now say “bath” with a northern accent.
17. Celebrating Small Wins
Potty training is a battlefield. Tying shoes is an Olympic event.
Every milestone, no matter how tiny, deserves a cheer (and possibly a cuppa for you). Raising kids is a marathon, not a sprint—celebrate every lap.
18. Putting My Own Oxygen Mask On
Forget the guilt: grabbing a coffee with friends, reading a chapter of a non-parenting book, or just staring at the wall for five minutes makes you a better parent.
Self-care isn’t selfish—it’s survival. Even the NHS says so.
19. Asking for Forgiveness
Parenting without a single regret is impossible. There are evenings when voices get too loud or patience runs out. Saying “Will you forgive me?” teaches humility and helps rebuild trust.
Kids are surprisingly generous with grace—possibly because they know they’ll need yours soon enough.
20. Choosing Connection Over Perfection
Beds go unmade, snacks get weird, and sometimes “screen time limits” are more of a suggestion.
Chasing perfection is an unwinnable game. But prioritising connection—cuddles over clean kitchens, dance parties over dusting—builds bonds that last longer than a spotless floor.
Tomorrow’s Regrets Can Wait
Parenting is mostly a blur of snack requests and lost socks, but these moments—messy, noisy, gloriously imperfect—are the ones I’d choose again in a heartbeat.
Give yourself a pat on the back for every choice that puts love ahead of logistics, and remember: some moments are worth the chaos.
Even if you’re still picking glitter out of the toaster.
