How many hot drinks have you let go cold? How many meals have you skipped? How many appointments have you forgotten about? How many friendships have gone unattended? How many self-promised showers have passed you by without a second glance?   

When was the last time you felt like parenting wasn’t kicking the crap out of you, when you felt ahead of the game, like the rules were written to favour your life? 

Parenthood: it’s the ultimate slog, isn’t it?  

You envy the marathon runners, the Iron Man triathletes and the broke start-up founders sleeping on their mate’s couch. At least they get to focus on themselves! 

So why not do something about it? Why care as much? Why put in all that effort? Why not seek shortcuts and detours?  

Employ more screen time. Feed your children whatever they ask for to avoid mealtime battles. Let them stay up late. Stop reading with them. Skip brushing their teeth. Don’t play with them as much. 

No one will know. No one will judge. 

Except you can’t, can you? You can’t not care. You can’t not love them more than anything. You can’t give parenting anything less than your best.  

And if that’s not reason to celebrate, then I don’t know what is. You, sir, madam – whoever you are – deserve a moment of recognition.  

Because I get it. I know you wake up not knowing what you're doing. I know you make mistakes. I know you regularly fall short. 

But I also know you give it your best, that you slog it out, that you’re committed, that you’ve signed up to endure the responsibility of parenthood for the rest of your life.  

How many hot drinks have you let go cold?  

Too many to count? Bravo.