The sweetest apology

I have to share this story, just so that I won't forget it one day. . . .


Lucy was having a rough morning today - she didn't want to get dressed, she didn't want to go to school, she didn't want to do anything she was supposed to. (This is unusual for her - she is almost always excited to go to school!) We had put her in time out, we had left her screaming in her room . . . I even took her temperature because I thought she must be sick since she is acting so awful!

Finally, she seemed to calm herself enough to ask for help getting dressed. After she got dressed, she picked up a couple of toys and walked back down to our bedroom. We played for a minute while Michael finished getting ready and about that time, she turned, looked me in the eye and said, "I'm sorry, Mommy. I'm sorry that I wasn't listening."

I was speechless. We had talked about her not listening after her time out, but she was still in tantrum mode and so I had just walked away. And here she was, 20 or so minutes after her meltdown with an unprompted apology. My heart just melted.

There are so many times that I feel like a failure as a parent . . .I'm sure all parents have those feelings. But in that moment, I felt like, maybe, somewhere along the way, I've done something right. One of the life lessons that Michael and I feel is so important for our children to learn is that we should take responsibility for our actions. It's ok to make mistakes - we all do. But WHEN we do, we need to acknowledge it, accept the responsibility/consequences and move forward.

There are so many kids today (and adults!) who are always quick to blame someone else for something that happened. Nothing frustrates me more as a teacher when a child gets in trouble for talking, but then gets mad at me because they got in trouble. "Mrs. Flack, so and so was talking to me first! It's not my fault." (The worst is when their parents write me a note/call me to say this!) I try to always remind them that it was their choice to respond to that person. No one can open their mouth and make sound come out - that's something only they can do. Still, I find it becoming a rarity for a kid to look at me and say, "I'm sorry I was talking - I'll try to do better next time." I guess it's just human nature to want to place blame somewhere else.

I don't share this to toot my own horn, or say what an awesome parent I am. . . believe me, I have so many areas in which I need improvement. But today's unprompted apology shows me that maybe something is sinking in. Lucy is already such an amazing kid, with such a big heart. I forget sometimes that she will only be three this coming Monday. . . sometimes she seems so much more grown up. (Ok, not during the tantrum part. . . ) I am more and more blessed every day by this precious gift God has given me and I am so thankful for every moment I have to be her Mom.