The scientific literature on parenting is clear:

Perfect parenting doesn’t exist.

But “good enough” parenting does. And it works even better.

Here’s what the evidence says:

1 Children are resilient

• They don’t need perfect responses
• They need consistent, good enough care

2 Quality beats quantity

• 10 minutes of focused attention
• Better than an hour of distracted presence

3 Emotional presence matters most

• Your child doesn’t track your mistakes
• They track if you’re there when they need you

4 The guilt you feel?

• It’s a sign you care deeply
• But it doesn’t help you parent better

What actually helps:

• Clear expectations
• Consistent responses
• Calm presence (even when you mess up)

The evidence is clear: You don’t need to be perfect.

You just need to be present and predictable.