Dr. David Palmiter's Blog for Hectic Parents

I was working clinically for 10 years with kids and their parents before I had my first child. (I now have 3.0 of them!) It would seem to me that the parents I was working with would become temporarily insane some of the time. We seemed to have a good relationship, and they seemed to value the service I was offering, and yet they would sometimes become so easily offended or hurt. THEN, I had my first child and I understood within a day what was going on. We parents love our kids so much that it can overwhelm us. In other words, our great love intermittently makes us parent-lunatics.

Before having my first child, Morgan, it would seem to me that the loving relationships I had in my life were like soothing waves that I could float in or swim with as I chose. However, this love was like a powerful wave that knocked me knees over elbows and took me where it would. I remember thinking, just after Morgan was born, that the love hurt and made it difficult to breathe. I also remember, in my efforts to be a good father, how crazy I acted (e.g., insisting on not being parted from Morgan so that the nurse could care for her, that we use a wipe warmer, etc.). And, if ever I forget about my own capacity for lunacy, I have only to monitor myself for a week or so. 😉

My primary goal in this blog, my co-parent-lunatic, is to support your mission to promote happiness and wellness in you, your child and family. But, in doing so I promise to remember my own lunacy when offering resources and making suggestions. But, this is not my only central promise. In the ensuing days I will review a few other ones as well.