Parenting isn't for the faint of heart. In fact, it's barely for the strong at heart. It tests you in ways you never imagined while simultaneously reminding you of all the ways you're "failing" (or could potentially fail). If you've yet to make a parenting mistake, take it from me — it's the freakin' worst. In fact, there are actual emotional stages of making your worst parenting mistake ever and I've gone though every single one after each traumatic incident.
When my daughter was nearly three, she hopped onto my bed (as she often did) to sit with me. I remember not being fully aware when she asked to get down, and in a matter of seconds — instead of my hands gently setting her to the floor — she slipped through my fingertips and hit her head on the dresser's sharp corner. Much like a slow-motion clip, it's a series of events I've played in my mind over the years. I had the power to prevent it, and I didn't. As we sat in the emergency room I thought about everything that had happened and how, even after I betrayed her, she still loved me. This is a sobering realization.
It's not an easy thing to realize (and accept) that I contributed to my child's pain but, over time and as new accidents have happened and are likely to happen again, the emotional stages have gotten easier to endure (albeit not less traumatizing). In fact, I think I've suffered far worse from dumb mistakes made with my second born, but I digress.
The truth of the matter is, if you're a parent, mistakes are inevitable. The best takeaway is what you learn from each one. With this in mind, here are the emotional stages of making your worst parenting mistake ever. Remember: you're not the first parent, or the last, to mess up in spectacular fashion. Trust me.