Permission to be Imperfect: How to Deal with Parental Guilt
Parenting isn’t an arrival—it’s a journey of continuous learning, unlearning, and renewal.
In Parenting Is a Work in Progress With Reesa Morala, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist Reesa Morala, LMFT, offers a compassionate reminder that the value isn’t in doing everything right, but in showing up, adapting, and parenting with heart.
Embracing the Journey, Not the Destination
Reesa speaks with honesty about what it looks like to parent through uncertainty: the small triumphs, the big letdowns, and the ordinary in-between moments that often feel invisible but matter the most. Instead of chasing perfection, she encourages parents to focus on growth—recognizing that what worked yesterday may not work tomorrow, and that’s not failure but evolution.
Parenting, she explains, is less about mastering a fixed set of rules and more about staying open to change. As children grow, their needs shift, and so must the ways parents respond. Holding flexibility with compassion creates the space for resilience and connection.
Presence Over Perfection
One of the central themes Reesa returns to is presence. Kids don’t need flawless parents—they need parents who are real, responsive, and emotionally available. Perfection creates pressure; presence creates safety.
Parents often feel torn between the idea of “doing it all right” and the reality of limited time, energy, and emotional bandwidth. Reesa challenges this mindset, reminding us that connection often happens in the smallest of moments: a bedtime story, a laugh shared after a long day, or a hug offered when words fall short. These moments may feel ordinary, but they build the foundation of trust and belonging that children carry into adulthood.
The Power of Self-Compassion
Another key aspect of Reesa’s message is self-compassion. When parents allow themselves grace in the harder moments, they model resilience and authenticity for their children. Instead of hiding mistakes or dwelling on guilt, they can show their kids what it looks like to recover, repair, and keep moving forward.
Self-compassion also reduces burnout. By letting go of constant comparison—whether to other families, social media ideals, or internalized expectations—parents reclaim energy that can be invested in authentic connection. Reesa emphasizes that children learn more from how parents treat themselves than from what parents tell them. A parent who practices kindness toward themselves gives their child permission to do the same.
Key Takeaways for Parents
Growth over perfection. Letting go of “doing it all right” frees up emotional bandwidth and reduces burnout.
Connection matters more than consistency. Being emotionally available in small moments builds trust over time.
Self-compassion is essential. When parents allow themselves grace, they model resilience for their children.
Embrace the journey. Parenting evolves; what worked yesterday may need to shift today.
Remain present in messy moments. Kids remember authenticity more than appearances.
Support enriches growth. Therapy, trusted friends, or community help parents feel less alone and more equipped.
A Message of Hope
This conversation highlights an often-overlooked truth: parenting is not about achieving perfection—it’s about choosing presence, practicing compassion, and committing to growth. By redefining success as progress instead of performance, parents can release shame and step more fully into connection with themselves and their children.
Reesa’s wisdom is a reminder that even in the messiest seasons, parenting remains a profound opportunity for transformation. Every moment—whether smooth or rocky—becomes a chance to model resilience, authenticity, and love. Parenting truly is a work in progress, and in that progress lies its beauty.
If you’re in Murrieta, CA or anywhere across California, learn more about my parenting therapy intensives and parenting classes for more support.
