Parenting and Its Fears: When we are bringing up a child, we are nurturing a soul with an ensemble of flesh and bones who is going to create his/her own little world centered on his/her happiness and desires. The child will eventually spawn his/her own blueprint of life. Is it not a fascinating role to play? But the awareness of the fact that you will have an unparalleled power to influence a human being can be quite intimidating. Parenting is probably the toughest responsibility on this planet. It is quite a challenge to wade through this journey full of various stumbling blocks.

Parenting is a learned skill. Most of us learn it on the job. As a parent, one always tries to provide the perfect environment without making many mistakes. But if the mistake has already happened and you realize the same, it becomes all the more important to accept and rectify it even if it means apologizing to your three-year-old toddler.

It is often said that parenting is fulfilling but it does come with its own set of conflicts. It is an exhausting role to play. At times, the challenges become so overwhelming that you feel like saying “I am done” or “I need to walk away from all of this”. But, the very next moment, you find yourself swooning over your cute little dumpling snuggled up in bed. The next thing that happens to you is the guilt – how could you even think of it? Many in our society romanticize the idea of having a child but it is not a smooth sail. One moment is all sunshine, and the other moment is embedded with the darkness of self-doubt and intolerance.

Being a parent, we may have to fill in for many roles in our children’s lives. Many times, we are caught up in the dilemma of playing the role of a friend or a disciplinarian. All of us face it at some point in time. With increasing awareness among parents, one knows to switch roles as per situational requirements. The challenge here is to be able to judge the situation rightly. It is significant to have a deeper bond with your child. A bond that is deep allows the child to have his/her own voice and choices while acquainting with boundaries and understanding the reasons for these boundaries.