Recipe for the Ideal Parent

Jennifer tagged me after writing a recipe for “the ideal bloke.” It’s quite good! Now it’s my turn to do so, but I’ve modified the game a bit.

If I had the task of creating the ideal parent, these would be eight essential ingredients:

1. The patience of a calico waiting for a chipmunk to emerge from its hole.
2. Endless, undivided attention, even while the lasagna burns and the phone rings.
3. The fortitude to let the phone ring.
4. The desire to race your kids off the end of the dock, so you’re not the rotten egg.
5. Cool-headed diplomacy and consistency in the roles of referee, coach and cheerleader.
6. The willingness to teach knitting to a nine-year-old and learn fishing from a seven-year-old.
7. The stamina to listen to ridiculous stories one-after-the-other, until you think your head might explode.
8. A forgiving nature that pardons yourself for only accomplishing one of the previous qualities per day.

Now I’m tagging Lil Duck Duck, My Life in the Kidzoo, Midnight Writings, and Peregrinas. They may write about the ideal bloke, or the ideal parent. Go find out!


meme parenting family patience