What defines you as a parent?

So I have my latest excerpt from Ayelet's book...and I must take this and share it with all of you because it is so true that it should be the theme song for all of us struggling with our "Parental identity"...

There are times as a parent when you realize that your job is not to be the parent that you always imagined you'd be, the parent you always wished you had. Your job is to be the parent your child needs, given the particulars of his or her own life and nature.

These words resonate loud and clear for me (now my chances of remembering this on the every day basis is quite another story). Remind yourself of this often, it makes much sense to know that your situation is your situation and those techniques offered by other parents work for THEIR situation. There is not a "ONE SIZE FITS ALL" approach!