As parenting editors, we're certainly guilty of instigating a little healthy controversy [1] when it comes to sharing the latest — and sometimes contradictory — news and trends. To sleep train or not to sleep train; to sign them up for anything and everything or to let them entertain themselves; to rush back to work or to embrace the time at home . . . it can be absolutely exhausting. But the truth is, no matter your approach and no matter how many times you may feel like you're screwing up, we're willing to bet that you're a great mom [2]. Don't let the fact that you do any of these things once in a while make you think otherwise!

Not signing them up for every extracurricular activity in town

Supporting the school bake sale by buying a brownie, not baking 4 dozen

Totally ignoring that stack of parenting books you keep meaning to get to . . .

. . . And opting instead for something you actually want to read

Using the boxed mix for their birthday cake

Losing your cool every now and then

Postponing that family Disney trip yet another year

Feeding them formula

Totally ignoring the concept of bedtime on a night like this

If you can't get them to keep their mittens on

Giving them a little screen time so that you can make a phone call, take a shower, etc.

Not saving every piece of original art

If the tooth fairy misses a visit

To call this dinner — once in a blue moon

If a day passes and they never make it out of their pj's

If their entire childhood goes by without a single lunch that looks like this

Bribing them with a cookie for the sake of a sane shopping excursion

Telling them little white lies to postpone tough conversations

Telling them that "Of COURSE this is the same Goldy!"

Dressing kids number 2 and 3 in hand-me-downs, exclusively