Bipolar Parents

Don't forget that all other parents fail their children in some ways, many without even considering it or feeling guilty for it. We will fail ours in some ways too. But having this disorder can make us better parents, not worse.

We know we'll make mistakes -- we have a mental illness! That's always on our minds (pun intended). In fact, we're so aware of it and so afraid of doing harm that we do everything in our power to avoid making mistakes, to minimize them, correct them, compensate for them, and give our children a normal life -- which means an imperfect one, touched by sorrow and loss and confusion like everyone else's life.

But we love hard. We love abundantly. We are devoted, knowing how lucky we are to have those children, given our brokenness. Like a knotty bent-limbed tree, we grow around the breaks and reach high. Our brokenness is only more obvious than other people's, not more dangerous. 

If our children grow into adults with bipolar disorder, as some will, the same will be true of them. They will know how important simple, vigilant love is, because it protected them and allowed them to grow into the complicated people they are. They will know that all parents are flawed but the good ones just love hard. They'll do their best. Just like us.