Parenting is a learning process.

Kim Zolciak-Biermann, in a moment of clarity that strips away all illusions, once declared: “Parenting is a learning process.” In these few words lies the humility of truth. For no parent begins the journey with mastery, nor can any book, no matter how wise, fully prepare the heart for the trials of raising a child. Parenting, she reminds us, is not a destination reached, but a path walked—step by step, mistake by mistake, and lesson by lesson. It is not perfection that defines it, but the willingness to learn, to adapt, and to grow alongside the children entrusted to one’s care.

The origin of this truth is as old as humanity itself. Every generation faces the same paradox: parents are called to guide their children, yet they themselves are untrained for the sacred task until they begin it. Just as a sailor only learns the sea by sailing, the parent learns the art of nurturing only by living it. Zolciak-Biermann’s words are not an admission of weakness, but a recognition of reality—an invitation for mothers and fathers to embrace their own growth, even as they shape the lives of their sons and daughters.

History bears witness to this principle. Consider Mary Wollstonecraft, the pioneering thinker who struggled as a mother even as she wrote about freedom and education. She did not hide her failures, but admitted that her role as a parent taught her humility and patience more deeply than any philosophy could. Or reflect on Abraham Lincoln’s stepmother, Sarah Bush Lincoln, who helped raise a boy destined for greatness. She was no scholar, no expert, but she learned day by day, teaching him kindness and perseverance through example. Their lives reveal the essence of Zolciak-Biermann’s words: parenting is not mastery—it is learning in love.

Her statement also carries a gentle rebuke to the pride of those who imagine they must be perfect parents. Many mothers and fathers live in fear, believing that every misstep will scar their child forever. Yet Zolciak-Biermann’s wisdom liberates us from this burden. If parenting is a process, then mistakes are not final—they are teachers. Failures are not the end—they are the soil in which wisdom grows. The parent who admits, “I am learning,” offers their child a greater gift than perfection: the gift of authenticity, humility, and growth.

At the same time, her words call us to responsibility. For learning is not passive; it demands effort. Just as the scholar studies, just as the craftsman practices, so must the parent reflect, listen, and grow. To learn as a parent is to pay attention—to the child’s needs, to one’s own failings, to the wisdom of those who have walked before. It is a lifelong apprenticeship, where the teacher is both the child and life itself.

The lesson for us is clear: do not fear your lack of expertise, and do not hide from your mistakes. Instead, embrace parenting as the sacred school in which both parent and child are students. Seek wisdom in books, in elders, in reflection—but above all, be willing to adapt, to change, and to grow. Let your children see not a flawless guide, but a humble one who learns alongside them. In doing so, you will teach them the greatest lesson of all—that growth is the very essence of life.

Therefore, let these words be remembered across generations: “Parenting is a learning process.” Carry them as both comfort and challenge. Comfort, because you are not expected to know all from the beginning. Challenge, because learning never ends, and each day brings a new chance to grow in patience, in love, and in wisdom. If you walk this path with humility and courage, you will not only raise your children—you will raise yourself into a truer, fuller human being.