Parenting perspectives as I sit back and watch

As a parent, I don't want to:

1. Treat my child like he/she is the center of the universe
2. Make my child the center of my universe
3. Talk obsessively about the normal things my child does as though they are special
4. Believe my child is special or gifted or unusually talented simply because he/she is my child
5. Pack my child's schedule so full of activities that we never have time to spend relaxing, or going on vacation, or just being a family
6. Be so rigid about my kid's schedule that he/she doesn't know how to cope when the schedule can't be kept
7. Stop committing to social engagements because they always take a back seat to what my child wants/needs that day (see #1 and 2)
8. Keep my friendships--single, married, with kids/without kids
9. Remember that the family starts and ends with a marriage. If the marriage is neglected, the whole family suffers
10. Constantly be stressed
11. Take out stress on my husband
12. Obsess about being a perfect parent, and compare myself to other parents
13. Be my child's best friend and cry when I think they don't need me
14. Stop going out because it is "just too much hassle" with a child
15. Constantly worry

As a parent, I do want to:

1. Raise a healthy, active child
2. Teach my child strong morals and values
3. Play with my child
4. Along with my husband, be my child's primary caregiver
5. Laugh a lot
6. Teach my child how to handle his/her own problems
7. Accept that my child will be good at some things, not very good at others, and likely overall be pretty average
8. Expect my child to help with household chores and take responsibility
9. Cook with my child
10. Show my child that he/she is loved and an important part of our family