Perfectionism and Parenting Don't Mix

I read this Harvard Business article today and it really struck a chord with me.

Perfectionism has been something I have been working on for years from a professional standpoint and I think I have come a long way. In fact, having Owen helped me to gain better perspective on what is 'good enough' at work.

It has been A LOT harder to take this approach when it comes to parenting. Particularly when it comes to his Idea #2 - Do What Feels Right to You, Not to Others. My educational background lends itself to wanting to find the 'answer', which means I read and read and read.

I sometimes look at other parents - the ones who never pick up a parenting book - and feel a bit jealous. They obviously trust their instincts more than I.

But I have become very good at sifting through all of the advice and finding what works for me. So, I guess that is one advantage of my approach - I am making an informed decision about what to do about a particular parenting challenge.

Being the 'good-enough parent', however, is a challenge for a perfectionist like myself. However, I think he has a point. As he says: "the key to perfection isn't getting it right. It's getting it often. If you do that, then, eventually, you'll get it right."