So my 8 year old caught me losing my temper at a driver on the highway yesterday. I was yelling, honking, the whole thing. He asked me why I was being mean when we always talk about treating people with kindness and loving your neighbor. Hit me like a ton of bricks. How do you guys handle those moments when your kids catch you being a hypocrite? I pray about patience but then I fail anyway.
Man, the fact that you're aware of it and thinking about how to handle it with your son shows you're already doing the work. Kids get that we mess up, they just need to see us own it.
The highway stuff happens to all of us. What matters is you can have that conversation with him about it. Shows him that leaders mess up and have to make it right.
The fact that it bothered you enough to post this means you already understand what matters. That's the example your kid is seeing too - someone who messes up and owns it.
Man, this hits home. I had the exact same thing happen a few months back and felt terrible about it all day. What did you do after? I apologized to my son and we talked about what made me angry in the first place.
Leading by example doesn't mean being perfect. It means showing them how to handle it when you're not. That's way more valuable anyway.
Sign in to join the conversation.
This is real parenting right here. My kid's seen me lose it too, and I just apologized and explained I was wrong. That's actually teaching him more than pretending to be perfect ever would.