Being a present, connected parent isn’t necessarily a new idea. Parents come into the world with a biological impulse to care for their young, and in healthy, supportive circumstances, they do just that. The demands of modern day life, however, make it hard for parents to be at their best. Not only are the expectations to produce successful, happy, engaged children greater than ever before, but parents are often less supported. What gives? One way to simplify parenting in spite of these challenges is normalize the – and de-personalize – them. Every parent feels stretched thin, overburdened, and alone at times. What if you stopped viewing parenting stress through a lens of “something is wrong with me?” and developed a wider, more compassionate perspective on your struggles and strengths?