OK. I admit it. Sometimes I yell. Sometimes my kids don't brush their teeth. I've opened crackers in the grocery cart. I've served overly processed meat products with no vegetables more times than I want to admit. I've culled their Halloween candy for the "good" chocolate. I've forgotten school deadlines and misplaced library books. I've proudly organized my boys' toys into color-coded bins but, within days, found myself tossing Luke Skywalker in with Mr. Potato Head – and not even feeling guilty about it. I've made chore charts, which I later used for writing my grocery list. I never carry tissues in my purse. I've even been known to have my kids blow their noses on those brown sand-paperish towels in the Wal-Mart bathroom.

And speaking of Wal-Mart, I've had my share of disastrous mommy/son meltdowns there over the years. I think Wal-Mart should have special attendants available for moms of small children, don't you? I can just hear it over the loud speaker: "Emotional meltdown on aisle seven. Emotional meltdown on aisle seven. Weepy 36-year-old in need of psychological counseling. Three-year-old needs to be bodily removed from the vanilla wafers." It could work.

Ever read the signs in the Wal-Mart bathroom that discourage shoplifting by saying, "It's not a joke or a prank"? I think every Wal-Mart needs a large sign at the front of the store that reads: "If you're entering this retail facility with more than one child under the age of 4, think about what you're doing. Think about it long and hard. It's not a joke or a prank – it could end in serious disaster."

Of all the jobs I wanted to wildly succeed at, being a great mom was at the top of my list. There was only one problem. It was a job I couldn't master. It didn't help that I grew up in a generation of moms who read approximately 143.2 books on becoming a great parent. My dad says we're becoming more informed and less secure. I think he has a point.

I'm all for the wonderful books on the market that teach us proper modes of discipline and help us better understand our kids. I've benefited from many of those books. But parenting doesn’t require perfection. I've finally figured out that the perfect mom doesn't exist. It's just as well. My boys wouldn't be better off with a perfect mom. There are things perfect moms can't teach. I can. I can teach my boys about asking forgiveness because I model it. I can teach them that one of the greatest gifts in life is giving and receiving mercy. They can learn humility from me. I don't have to try to "wow" a kindergartener and a second grader with human perfection.

Another benefit to being an imperfect mom is that I have lots of friends. Other moms feel comfortable sharing their struggles and mistakes with me. They feel safe admitting that sometimes they question themselves. They’re not afraid to open up and let me see their ugly side. They know that I’m not afraid of the truth. Let’s be honest. No one wants to be friends with a perfect mom.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m all for parenting with consistency, love, discipline, order and instruction. But I'm not depending on my own ability to "nail" those concepts. At the end of the day, I still fall short. That’s OK.

How many of us could honestly say the following while lying in bed at night? "Yep! Today I was quite the parent. I modeled patience and self-discipline in every area. I taught my children the value of consuming green leafy vegetables. I enlightened them with both Scripture and Shakespeare. I always affirmed their gifts and in love, graciously corrected their shortcomings. I was never angry. I gave them a sound and hearty lesson on oral hygiene and the lesson was eagerly received. All 64 crayons are sharpened and neatly placed in the original box. I can rest easy now.”

Yeah. Me neither. My boys have an imperfect mom. They have a mom who makes mistakes. But I smile at the end of the day when my two little boys are all snuggled in their beds. If they could choose any mom in the world, they'd choose me.

Want to see more?

• A Mouthful of Peas: Teaching the Bad Manners Game
• Go Fly a Kite!
• Start a diary!
• Talk about it!