Parents are so tired, so overwhelmed, and so unsupported. The last few years of pandemic reality have exacerbated the situation, especially for primary parents (usually moms).

Enter C+ Parenting, a name we totally made up to describe a more relaxed style of parenting, that will actually allow us to take a breath, enjoy our lives, and let kids of all ages develop more independence. If you’re an A+ mom and loving it, this isn’t for you.

What is C+ Parenting?

It’s similar to Slow Parenting, but more emphatically centers your own needs and preferences as a parent. The name is inspired by the pressure we all feel to be A+ moms. A+ moms are all over social media, they are the influencers with the perfect look and who somehow have the time to interior design to perfection while curating the most thoughtful and creative activities for their kids. They tell you “it’s so easy”, but we all know it’s not. 

A+ moms have set an impossible standard for the rest of us. So, what’s the alternative?

The alternative is C+ Parenting, where you only put focused effort into a few areas and accept a D or even an F in other areas of parenting. Instead of trying to do it all, you choose to do SOME, not all. Then you do the bare minimum for everything else. 

How does it work?

Choose the two or three things you want to absolutely kick ass at as a parent. Your partner may have a different list, or not. For me, the areas I lean in are: reading, family / community, and healthy eating. I spend a lot of time finding and reading books with my daughter, I schedule lots of trips and playdates to build community and bond with our family, and I spend a big part of each weekend prepping food. Those priorities may change from time to time, but I’ll try to always keep it to three or less areas of focus.

You wanna know where I get an D or F? I don’t get too involved at her school, I don’t stress about screen-time, and I don’t make school lunch nor do I do pick-up or drop-off (my husband does those, Jeff if you’re reading, stop reading).

Yes, a lot of this comes down to having a partner or community you can outsource some things to, but it’s also about letting things go. If my husband is late dropping our daughter off, I don’t gripe or take over the task out of frustration, because I don’t need an A+ in that department.

So, when are you okay getting a D or F in parenting? Reply to our email and we may highlight a few responses from the community. We wanna hear from our fellow #c+moms!

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