As ever Anne Robinson can ask the right questions and in this TV programme, her interrogations aimed at parenting. It is well worth a watch.
Watching the programme highlighted once again the guilt and shame that surrounds parenting. Parents are under more pressure than ever to be “the best”. All the parents shown in the programme had strengths and weaknesses. We (and I include myself in this) would do better to be more compassionate on our attempts to raise our children.
As a TV programme, they were looking at “different” families. What I loved about each of these families is that they were living out the values they wanted for their family. Meaning they had broken away from “societal norms” to do this. There is so much parenting “advice” it restricts what families are keen to implement. These families had reflected on what was important to them and done it. I don’t agree with everything each one was doing, but so what, I’m not in their family. Too often we allow others who aren’t living our lives to set our agendas.
Finally, they did a parent swap, is what we all could be doing. This is the value of parenting coaching. It allows someone to ask questions of what we are doing. Not so we copy the other, but to ensure we are living out the family values and actions we are happy with. The two families who swapped learnt by listening and observing each others strengths and weakness. Could we humble ourselves and listen and learn together. Not easy when parenting is such a guilt-ridden area of life.