If it isn't one, it's the other

Why is it when you're a parent, everything doesn't run smoothly all the time? Some things are great sometimes. Other things are great other times. But, they never seem to come together all at once! Just when you think things are going well, something or someone comes in and upsets the system. You had things under control and life was sailing along, right? Wrong. It's a growth spurt or a cold or a problem at school or a dentist appointment gone wrong or a forgotten library book or a sibling rivalry. Minor glitches, yes, but still glitches. They are still things that put a wrinkle in the smooth. And how, as a parent, do you learn how to handle them in a manner that teaches your children how to cope? If you're an uptight person, you can't exactly let things slide. So, in reality, if you keep it up, your kids will turn out uptight too. If you're too laid back and don't worry about things, your kids might not learn how to respect schedules and commitments. Oh, what to do? This parenting stuff is hard. It's bad enough that I have to worry about my own behavior as a human being. Now, I've got two malleable people watching every move I make and forming their patterns based on mine! What a responsibility it is to be a role model! Well, it could be worse, I guess. I could be Madonna or Britney Spears, right?