As much as I would sometimes like them to, things do not go perfectly around here. My kids will do really well in some areas and then stumble in others; I will set expectations that are rather unreasonable, and then be disappointed when we fumble. As a single parent, it is a constant battle and lesson for me to remind myself that lessons are learned through mistakes and I need to temper my reactions. For me, I can get wound so tight that I over-react when my kids (or myself) make mistakes and things don’t go as planned.
The only reason that I can “preach” about this topic is that I have a definite tendency to overreact. One blunder and I can see my child’s entire future flashing in front of my eyes and it is hard for me to gain perspective. I am not sure why I figure that if they didn’t clean up their dishes today, they will never learn to manage a house or be self-sufficient but in the moment, that seems to be exactly where my mind goes!
After I take a step back, however, I can remind myself that life is a series of constant lessons. We learn more from the mistakes and stumbles and blunders than we do from doing exactly what someone else tells us to (and that goes for our parents as well.) While I really do want my children to obey and learn from what I tell them and my personal stumbles, I know that they are going to have to learn many things on their own and at their own pace. This is where I need to get a grip and try not to overreact when they do not live up to my unreasonable expectations. Instead of my criticism and hollering, they really need my support and encouragement.
Also: Taking a Crabby Day Out on Your Kids
It Doesn’t Feel Like I’m Overreacting at the Time