Cool, cool. Now do it for pets. https://twitter.com/KatelynBeaty/status/1199703917258522627

I sometimes hear people say that we treat pets like children, but I think it's more likely that we treat children like pets & get frustrated w/ them when they act like humans.

Don't get me wrong, parenting is a TON of work. But so is any meaningful relationship that requires & rewards the growth of both parties.

There's also something to be said for the fact that our children did not ask to be born. We as parents brought them into existence & we are responsible to them, even in the most frustrating times. We are the grown ups, after all.

Do my husband & I sometimes look at each other w/ the vacant stare of soldiers in the trenches? Do I say to my kids, "It's 9:00. Go to bed. Mommy's done parenting for the day"? Absolutely.

Is this my kids' fault? Absolutely not.

They are simply children. We are simply parents.

The best thing I've ever learned in parenting is to respect my children's humanity. To see them as fully formed now. To see their limits & immaturity as completely normal for humans at their stage of development.

They are not a**holes. They are children. They are human beings who need everything that adult human beings need, only at their level. They need love, good work, rest, safety, and purpose. They need guidance & wisdom, but they are human just as I am human.

So, yeah, kids aren't uniquely difficult. Life is difficult. Building community is difficult, even if that community is in your own house. But I promise you, it is so worth it.

Learn to laugh at yourself & face the challenges w/ grace. Teach your kids how to do the same. Don't shame each other in the moments of frustration. Give space & room for growth. And you will find yourself so deeply in love w/ the people God has given you.

And even in the hard times--the times that break your heart & try your patience--you'll find yourself so grateful. Not b/c you've conjured up some superhuman love, but b/c you'll find yourself changed.

Parenting may not ever be easy. It may not get "better," but you might get better. The work iof parenting & the relationship you're building might just make you a better person, more capable of love & patience than you ever thought.