Parenting is hard

I am not under the impression that I am sharing anything new here, but I just have to say that this parenting stuff really bites sometimes. I go through times when I feel like whatever I try backfires on me. And the fear is that my kids know that I have no idea what I am doing. Which is true some of the time, but it is probably bad if they think it...right?
So I have intentions of teaching myself a few things. Seeing what some of the experts have to say when your 7 year old acts like his 13-year old brother. This is not a positive, by the way. So I buy books and sometimes I even read some of them.
But honestly, at the end of the day when I finally have some time to read...I don't want to read about kids and all the grief they can cause. I would much rather read a great fiction novel that takes me to another place or time and lets me escape that I am a parenting wreck to 4 kids. Okay, okay, I am not a parenting wreck...just an occasional minor fender-bender.
But I do like to talk about parenting hardships and challenges because the great thing about them is that we all have them. I don't believe the parent that says they have not, even for a nano-second, wanted to check out of their role at times. Hearing about other peoples kids is a great way to put our own into perspective. Encouraging words from others give us a well-deserved and needed pat on the back. It's hard, really hard. But of course, there is nothing that gives you more pride or joy either.
So one day maybe I will finish all these parenting books and by then my kids will be grown, so I will have to save all that knowledge to pass on to them when they are raising their own kids. They will totally want to hear it right?! ;o)

FYI - if you are a reader and looking for a good one...don't choose this one on top of the pile. It almost made me want to pick up one of the other books in the pile. :)