{"id":8077,"date":"2025-10-24T20:26:40","date_gmt":"2025-10-24T20:26:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thetabletalkproject.org\/?p=8077"},"modified":"2025-10-24T20:26:41","modified_gmt":"2025-10-24T20:26:41","slug":"we-are-doing-a-good-job-as-a-parent","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thetabletalkproject.org\/we-are-doing-a-good-job-as-a-parent\/","title":{"rendered":"We Are Doing a Good Job as a Parent If\u2026"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Speaking to parents with children of all ages, I hear these words often:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\n

\u201cAm I really a good parent?\u201d
\u201cWhat does it take to be a good parent?\u201d
\u201cI feel like I\u2019m failing as a parent.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

When someone says that last one \u2014 \u201cI feel like I\u2019m failing\u201d<\/em> \u2014 I gently say this:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

\u201cYou\u2019re only failing as a parent if your child doesn\u2019t know they are loved.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

That\u2019s it.
You can provide the biggest house, the flashiest car, and mountains of food. But if your child doesn\u2019t know<\/em> they are loved \u2014 not just told but feel it<\/em> through your actions \u2014 then something vital is missing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Being a parent isn\u2019t about giving them everything they want. It\u2019s about providing what they need<\/em>. And what every child needs most \u2014 regardless of age \u2014 is love.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Love, Connection, and the Science Behind \u201cGood Parenting\u201d<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Research consistently shows that warmth, responsiveness, and emotional connection are far more influential on a child\u2019s wellbeing than material comfort.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A 2020 Harvard University<\/em> study<\/a> on family connection found that children who regularly share meaningful conversations with parents show higher emotional intelligence, stronger mental health, and better resilience. Similarly, Deakin University\u2019s 2023 Family Wellbeing Study<\/a><\/em> highlighted that children who feel heard and emotionally supported at home are more likely to manage stress, maintain healthy relationships, and have higher self-esteem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What does this tell us?
It tells us that connection<\/em> \u2014 not perfection \u2014 is what matters most.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We are doing a good job when we listen without interrupting, when we apologise when we get it wrong, and when we create safe spaces where our kids can speak honestly \u2014 even when it\u2019s hard to hear.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Creating Space for Their Voice<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

One of the most powerful ways to show love is to give your children a voice<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At The Table Talk Project<\/strong>, we see this every day through our Back at the Table<\/em> web app \u2014 a simple tool that helps families have structured conversations using \u201cEntr\u00e9e,\u201d \u201cMain,\u201d and \u201cDessert\u201d questions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s not just about talking \u2014 it\u2019s about listening. When a child shares a story, a worry, or a dream around the table and feels truly heard<\/em>, it shapes their sense of self-worth. They begin to understand, \u201cMy voice matters. I matter.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Parents often tell us that these conversations have changed the dynamic at home \u2014 that their kids are more open, dinner feels calmer, and even teenagers are joining in. It\u2019s not magic. It\u2019s simply what happens when love meets listening.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So How Do You Know You\u2019re Doing a Good Job?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

You\u2019re doing a good job if:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  • Your children know they are loved \u2014 not because you say it, but because they feel it.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • You make time to connect, even when life is busy.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • You listen more than you lecture.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • You keep showing up \u2014 messy, tired, imperfect, but still present.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

    Good parenting isn\u2019t about having all the answers. It\u2019s about building a relationship that says, \u201cYou belong here. You are safe here. You are loved here.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Final Thought<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    If you\u2019re reading this and wondering if you\u2019re doing enough \u2014 you are. The fact that you care enough to ask<\/em> already says you\u2019re the kind of parent your child needs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Let\u2019s redefine success in parenting: it\u2019s not about perfection. It\u2019s about presence, love, and creating space at the table \u2014 a space where every voice, especially your child\u2019s, is heard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n

    \u201cYou\u2019re only failing as a parent if your child doesn\u2019t know they are loved.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

    <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    For more blogs on parenting make sure you subscribe. Each week it will come to your inbox.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Keep up the amazing work and be kind to yourself.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    Speaking to parents with children of all ages, I hear these words often: \u201cAm I really a good parent?\u201d\u201cWhat does it take to be a good parent?\u201d\u201cI feel like I\u2019m…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":8078,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[47],"tags":[727,122,390,311,726,728,277,329,643],"class_list":{"0":"post-8077","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-the-table-talk-news","8":"tag-child-wellbeing","9":"tag-empathy","10":"tag-family-connection","11":"tag-family-conversations","12":"tag-good-parenting","13":"tag-love","14":"tag-mental-health","15":"tag-parenting","16":"tag-table-talk"},"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nWe Are Doing a Good Job as a Parent If\u2026 - The Table Talk Project<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"You\u2019re doing a good job as a parent \u2014 not when everything is perfect, but when your children know they are loved and heard.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/thetabletalkproject.org\/we-are-doing-a-good-job-as-a-parent\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"We Are Doing a Good Job as a Parent If\u2026 - 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