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I Was Supposed to Be Calm, Gentle, and Patient: Then Reality Happened
Paperback
Series: The Overwhelmed Parent Collection
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Publisher: Independently Published
Published: May 12 2026
Pages: 136
Weight: 0.42
Height: 0.29 Width: 6.00 Depth: 9.00
Language: English
You thought you'd stay calm.
You promised yourself you'd be patient.
You imagined gentle parenting with soft voices, deep breaths, and emotionally regulated responses.
Then reality happened.
I Was Supposed to Be Calm, Gentle, and Patient. Then Reality Happened. is a funny, honest, and deeply relatable look at modern parenting-the exhaustion, overstimulation, guilt, chaos, and love that no one fully prepares you for.
Through humour, sarcasm, and emotional reflection, this book captures the everyday moments parents silently struggle through:
- losing patience and feeling guilty after
- surviving tantrums and bedtime battles
- trying to gentle parent while emotionally overwhelmed
- feeling touched out, overstimulated, and exhausted
- loving your child deeply while still struggling some days
This isn't a perfect parenting guide.
It's reassurance for parents who are already in the middle of the mess, trying their best.
If you've ever felt overwhelmed and still kept showing up-this book is for you.
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