“You are good parents just by existing.”
Our Neighborhood Children's Hospital: A Trusted Parenting Mentor for 220,000 Parents
A message of encouragement from pediatricians Park So-young and Son Soo-ye.

The more precise your movements are when exercising, the more your body hurts.
Conversely, if you do the movement incorrectly, your body will not hurt.
The same goes for parenting.
The reason raising a child feels tiring and difficult is not because you are doing it 'wrong', but because you are 'doing it right'.
As a parent, you are using your mental muscles properly, so you are feeling sorry.
But as I raise my children, there come moments when I doubt whether I am doing a good job, and no matter how hard I try, I always feel like I am not doing enough.
In the midst of a deluge of parenting information, when we endlessly compare ourselves to other parents, feel discouraged, feel physically exhausted, and feel filled with regret, what parents desperately need more than anything is someone's kind words of "You're doing well enough."

For such parents, pediatric specialists Park So-young and Son Su-ye stepped forward.
《Parents' Heart Laundry》 is a warm message of support from a child psychiatrist and pediatrician who has provided comfort and advice to 220,000 parents on the YouTube channel 《Our Neighborhood Children's Hospital》.
The two authors, who are both professionals and mothers, have written a book about six emotions that all parents experience (bonding, anxiety, joy, guilt, exhaustion, and resilience), based on various parenting cases they have encountered in the counseling room and their own honest concerns as mothers.
It is full of shining sentences that will firmly hold on to the wavering hearts of parents.
Let's read a few chapters a day without any burden, write down 'sentences for myself' in the writing space, and even write down short 'emotional care exercises'.
There will come a time when your heart will be filled with faith in yourself and love for your child.

Becoming a parent is an unfamiliar journey for anyone.
There will undoubtedly be times when you struggle to connect with your child and convey your love to them.
In that case, start with something very small and simple.
Holding your child skin-to-skin, giving them a kiss on the cheek, and whispering “I love you” in their ear every night before going to bed.
Small but powerful actions like these form the strongest bridge between parents and children.
A parent's embrace is the safest home in the world for a child.
As children grow up and face difficult times, they hope that the first thing that comes to mind is their parents' warm embrace and the voice whispering that they love them.
So please trust in your arms, your voice, your love.
Your sincerity is enough.
Please hug your child today too.
At that moment, the child is learning the greatest love in the world.
--- “The most powerful means of forming a bond, skin contact (Chapter 1.
From "Bonding, Love"

Parents must first learn how to manage their own anxiety.
The first step is to acknowledge your anxiety and clearly identify its cause.
After that, I need to distinguish between the anxiety I created and the real anxiety, and realize and accept that the anxiety I created is just my feelings.
The belief that parents are doing their best gives children a great sense of security.
When a parent is calm and composed when a child is sick or having a hard time, the child will find comfort in seeing that parent.
I'm not saying we should try not to feel anxious.
Anxiety is also a natural emotion that arises while raising a child, so it is not right to suppress it.
However, it takes practice to not show anxiety.
It is important to manage your anxiety so that it is not expressed excessively and is not transmitted to the child.
If parents can control their anxiety little by little without escalating it, they will also grow.
--- “Parental anxiety is contagious” (Chapter 2.
Insecure (worries, anxiety)

We chase so many things in an attempt to be 'better parents.'
Information, comparison, future, planning… .
In the meantime, we often miss the child's current appearance.
But a truly good parent is someone who lives each day with their child.
And today, together, a child's life is created.
The conversation you had with your child at this moment, the moments you laughed together, even the rice cakes on your child's lips may become the most vivid memories you will recall in the future.
So don't look too far into the future.
Take another moment to remember that your child is with you today.
This time will never come again.
That's why today is the most precious day.
--- “Today, when we are together, is the most precious day (Chapter 3.
From "Grateful Pride, Joy, and Jubilation"

When raising children, it's easy to forget to be grateful in the midst of fatigue and exhaustion.
As we go through difficult times day by day, we sometimes miss out on small joys and even forget the importance of our children.
Every time, try to think of the word 'thankfully' in your mind.
When your child comes to you, think of the word "thankfully" and express your gratitude for their presence in your life.
Thinking, 'Thank goodness my child needs me,' gives me positive energy even in difficult times.
When I recall those moments when my child came to me like a gift, I feel the fatigue from that day gradually disappearing.
If you can feel gratitude even during difficult times, ironically, the joy of parenting will be felt even greater.

--- "Three things to say to yourself on a tiring day (Chapter 5.
Exhausted Fatigue, Burnout)