Yes! Our notions of good motherhood are inextricable from capitalism and white supremacy. Children are allowed to be unhappy. That said, I think how a parent approaches a child’s unhappiness reflects the extent to which they are truly “good.” Personally, my mother couldn’t acknowledge the abusive dynamics in our household, nor could she critically self reflect on how she was implicated in my suffering. She was so committed to the persona of the “good mother” that she went from smothering me with self-indulgent “love” to doing a 180 and becoming violent when I didn’t respond as expected. At 15 I was on a pedestal, but by 18 I was homeless because she could not cope with my (very valid) reactions to manipulation. I’d say that being willing to truly listen and hold space for your child’s emotions, even if they evoke discomfort, is a marker of great parenting.