You can keep trying to be perfect or you can try to be happy ---

You know, I just love Brené Brown and her TED talk about vulnerability. I have the MP3 downloaded to my phone. I listen to it when I feel fragile & adrift or strong & stable. Or pretty much every emotion in between.

I think everyone needs to see it. So I'll save you the Google....
https://www.ted.com/talks/brene_brown_on_vulnerability?language=en

There is no perfect. Only perfect intentions.

She says it well, we are "wired for struggle".

So I practice hard - giving the benefit of the doubt.
I'm nowhere near perfect.
I yell, I throw temper tantrums, I say *fuck* and *shit* and *asshole*.

I'm super hard on this kid.
Being a Mom of a teenager is rough.
Being a teenager is rougher.

He is so NOT like me, and yet JUST like me. He manages to push buttons I didn't know existed.

I chose not to attend his teacher conference today because it was a painful enough weekend. Privileges revoked, disappointed kid and parents. Traditional school just isn't really working for him in the traditional way. I'm very involved, I've heard the feedback. I'm just exhausted. I can't hear it anymore this school year. I'm tapping out.

When we focus on the good, we see that he is an incredibly gifted writer - despite me having to harass him about reading every.single.day.
He excels in art.
He sees how things go together in innovative ways.
His school work is atrocious.
His heart is good.
He mentors a 6th grader. He's good at it. They have a great connection. The relationship is of value.

Letting go of the societal standards of success is extremely difficult, but what I want you to know is what I have to tell myself constantly -- success looks different on different people. There is no One Size Fits All.

My child can hear because of a tiny device that sits in his ear.
That is a god damn miracle.
My child is healthy and compassionate and kind and strong and wonderful.

And he will be okay even if he fails the shit out of Spanish.