The Complexity of Parenting: Are There “Bad” Mothers and Fathers?

Parenting is a complex, noble, time, strength, mental, and emotionally demanding responsibility. A journey often described as the most challenging and rewarding.

It takes one who has been parented right to parent exceptionally. It takes consistent learning, unlearning, and re-learning to parent right. It takes prayers and wisdom to parent right.

People are the product of their environment; their behavior, beliefs, personalities, and experiences shape their outcomes in life. Factors such as poor upbringing, socioeconomic conditions, mental health issues, lack of support, and past traumas can significantly influence a parent’s ability to provide a nurturing environment for their children.

Most parents are traumatized by their past childhood experiences; some have had to face various beasts of physical, mental, psychological, and emotional bullying that affected them badly. And the sad thing is some parents don’t even know that they are traumatized and would need therapy.

It is fundamental to recognize that labeling someone as a “bad” mother or father is a subjective judgment that fails to consider how they were parented, the environment in which they were raised, and the complexities of parenting. 

I understand that there have been cases of some parents who do unspeakable things to their child/children; in this case, their behaviors are unacceptable and should not be taken lightly by the law.

The standpoint of this blog is referring to those parents who try their best daily to be and do right by their child/children.

Every parent encounters moments of doubt, exhaustion, and frustration, to the point of making mistakes or poor decisions, but this does not necessarily make them inherently “bad.” Rather than condemning, we should prioritize empathy and support for struggling parents as a society, community, friends, and families. Help them improve their parenting skills by offering resources, education, and therapies. 

Parenting is a journey of growth and learning that leads to more productive discussions on becoming the best parents for their child/children. A better and brighter future is sure when our children are nurtured and raised in the right environment.

It takes a good and safe home/community to raise children well.