Being the example is harder than I thought

1w ago1 min read

Last week I lost my cool at another driver and yelled some things that weren't exactly Christian. My 7 year old was in the car. I apologized to her and explained that daddy was wrong but man that hit different. I realized she's watching everything I do, not just listening to what I say about morality and kindness. I've been trying to be more intentional since then about how I react to frustration, how I treat people, whether I actually live out what we talk about at church. It's made me actually want to be a better man, which sounds cliche but it's true. Has anyone else had a moment where your kids holding up a mirror changed your behavior?

3 comments143 views

Comments(3)

TTrevorNew Dad1w ago

Man, you apologized to her right after - that's already showing her what it looks like to own a mistake and do better. That's the example kids actually need to see, not perfection. You're doing it right.

PPhil C.Regular1w ago

Dude, we've all been there. The fact that you care enough to feel bad about it and talk to your 7 year old about it means way more than never losing it in the first place. Bedtime negotiations are my cardio, so I get how parents just snap sometimes.

RRyanNew Dad1w ago

You caught yourself and fixed it the same day - that's huge. Kids learn more from how we handle our mistakes than from never making them. You're teaching her something really valuable here.