As long as we are conscious of our parenting, do the very best that we can, and ask for forgiveness when we mess up, we're doing a great job.
:yeahthat: couldn't have said it better.

I have a few things in my childhood that I look back at & think, well tehy could ahve done such & such better, my mother, my father & my stepmother.
But I do believe that they all did the best they could. As I grow older I see them not as infallible but as human beings who make mistakes & have their own stuff they are dealing with.

I try very hard not to make the same mistakes they did, but doubtless I am making others.
Maybe that's part of our journey through life.. to experience all of what our parents have to teach us, to deal with it, to learn & grow.

As for my kids, I try & teach them also that I am not perfect... I will apologise to them if I make a mistake or if I am wrong.

DD & I argued not so long ago & I apologised to her afterwards; for not walking away when it became heated; and I said to her then, 'I need to apologise because I can't expect you to take responsibility for your part unless I take responsibility for mine'
- and in doing that, I hope that she learns not only to take responsibility & how to apologise but also that I am not perfect but I will do my best, and if I fail then I am sorry.
I hope that she (all my children) learns all that & then forgives me when I sometimes miss the mark in my parenting.

Don't now if any of that made sense! it's late & I'm going to bed.. but it is a very interesting thread