Mistakes

We all make mistakes either by word or deed, intentionally or unintentionally. Some of the mistakes I have made were brought about by stupidity, but I am getting smarter by the day due to all the wisdom I am learning through all the mistakes I make! If wisdom was measured by experience through mistakes, then I would out shine Solomon himself.

The hardest thing about mistakes is admitting you make them. It’s always easier to blame someone else or an inanimate object. When you blame someone else it can come back on you, as they tend to speak up and let it be known it wasn’t them but inanimate objects can’t talk so that’s the best route to go down. For example, if you are late for an appointment you could always blame your stupid car that ran out of fuel. It should have known to drive itself to the garage and get filled up. When you mess up the dinner you can blame the oven.

Businesses have their mistakes taken care of big time. It’s all computer error!! Give me a break. You just know that at the other end of the telephone there is someone fudging on the reason you have paid the same bill six times by direct debit. It was the computer that took your money! Try getting the computer to refund it and see what happens.

I have found that the best thing to do when you make a mistake is to quickly admit it and then move on. I do get fed up with myself when I keep making the same mistakes but I am not perfect, only forgiven. Most of the time I get things wrong trying to get them right. Does that make sense to you? I am not a bad person nor a stupid person but I do sometimes say or do things without putting thought into it and even though my intentions were good and pure, it doesn’t always come out that way.

My long suffering husband is quick to show mercy towards me for which I am thankful. Life is so daily as is mistakes, so be forbearing and remember, we all make them!

Nan

Just because & We'll See!

1st July 2011

I wanted to follow up from my last blog on holidays with some more thoughts on how to stay sweet with the children. This can be a challenge, especially when you lead a busy life and want to get things done.

Scenario, they want you to take them to the cinema. You don’t want to explain to them that you don’t have the time or money to do so.

The standard pat answer they get is, we’ll see!

We’ll see doesn’t cut it. They think, it’s never going to happen. They’ve heard it all before.

It’s better to give them an answer.

I can’t take you this week but next week will be better for me.

Make a time, and make sure it happens. This gives you more credibility with them and also something they can look forward to. You can also get leverage with it, like, any more attitude and no cinema!! No threats or intimidation, just a gentle reminder!

What about, ‘because I said so’, or ‘just because’.

Now that’s not an answer.

I ‘fess’ up to using this with my own children when they were small.

But again, this is not an answer. It’s better to give them the reason for denying them whatever it is they want.

Scenario, they want to sleep over with friends, but you don’t know who they are or met their parents.

They have said that ‘everybody else is going and they are the only ones not going’.

They put on that downtrodden, hang dog expression! You know the one, you’ve seen it often.

Rather than say, ‘because I said so’ give them your reasons.

We need to speak with their parents first.

We are having our own family get together that night.

You’re still grounded because of the last episode!

Children get discouraged when parents come with the ‘just because’ or we’ll see.

They see it as a maybe or it’s never going to happen.

You can enjoy the next six weeks or you can be miserable. It’s your choice.

Life is so daily and it’s good to get the opportunity to do something different with our children. I would love your feedback and your ideas on good ways to fill the holidays.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Nan