You can do hard things.

It’s something I often say to my 4-year-old when he’s struggling, especially with the climbing frame at our local park.

“You don’t have to get it right the first time,” I tell him. “It’s OK to practise. You can do hard things.”

The other day, I was wrestling with something frustrating – I think it was a tin can that wouldn’t open – when he looked at me and said, “You can do hard things!”

It made me laugh, and also made me pause. Because even when we know something is true, it’s easy to forget it in the moment.

Things have been tricky lately.  We’re having some childcare challenges with our 1-year-old, and I’ve been fitting work around naps, evenings, and my husband’s lunch breaks. It’s a juggle. And like a lot of working parents, I often feel like I’m doing everything, but never quite enough.

But I try to remind myself that progress doesn’t have to be perfect. Even though it’s been a while since I last posted on LinkedIn, that doesn’t mean I’m failing.

I hope I’m teaching my children lots in the time we have together, and they’re definitely teaching me things too.

So if you’re also juggling more than feels possible, try to remember:

You can do hard things. But sometimes it takes time!