As a parent, striving for perfection is an unrealistic goal; however, being willing to apologize is essential. Recently, I found myself in a frustrating moment with my son, Alex. In a fit of exasperation, I called him a “brat” after he once again pulled all the pillows off my bed to create a jumping pile. Despite my countless reminders to avoid this behavior, his impulse control—common at his age—was lacking.
Walking into my room to see the pillows strewn across the floor triggered an unexpected reaction. The pandemic has kept us home together constantly, and I admit I was at my breaking point. In that moment, I lost sight of the fact that he was just being a child, and instead of handling it calmly, I let my frustration spill out.
Immediately, I felt remorse. I have prided myself on never resorting to name-calling in my parenting. I knew I had to address my mistake properly. After a brief, half-hearted attempt at an apology, which he hardly acknowledged, I realized that I needed to have a more significant conversation with him.
I called Alex back and we sat together on my bed. I explained, “I’m sorry for calling you a brat. That was wrong. You are a good boy who tries hard to do the right thing. Just because you made a mistake doesn’t define who you are. Even when you annoy me, I shouldn’t resort to name-calling.”
He responded with a smile, “I forgive you.” I chuckled as he pointed out that calling names was, in fact, a bit bratty of me.
This exchange not only helped us move past the incident but also reinforced an important lesson. Apologizing is not a magic solution to erase mistakes, but it teaches humility and respect. I understand that one slip-up in my parenting won’t ruin his future—every child makes mistakes, and they need to learn accountability. Hence, he had to pick up the pillows and remake my bed. If he can’t respect my belongings, he would need to find other activities outside my room for a while.
Ultimately, he deserves to be treated with the same respect I offer everyone else in my life. I am not just raising a child; I’m helping to nurture a person who should understand how to treat others. If I want him to recognize and address disrespect, I must lead by example. Acknowledging my missteps and apologizing, even when it’s uncomfortable, is crucial in this journey of parenting.
I know I will make many more mistakes as I raise my children. However, I am committed to owning my errors and apologizing each time I realize I’ve fallen short. Perhaps my children will remember not just my missteps but also the lessons learned from them.
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In summary, while I will never achieve perfection as a parent, I can strive to be a model of humility and accountability for my children. Apologizing for my mistakes is an integral part of their upbringing, teaching them about respect and the importance of acknowledging when we are wrong.
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