A Lesson in Forgiveness

I think of myself as a patient parent.

I hardly ever yell.

I pick my battles.

I try really hard t be a good role model for my kids on how to handle your emotions.

But Wednesday? Wednesday was another story.

I woke up in a grumpy mood. Charlie had been sick since Monday night and sleep was hard to come by in our house.

I do our morning routine alone each week day because Ben is long gone before the kids even wake-up. We have our Monday-Wednesday (the days I work) mornings down pretty well and there is not a lot of wiggle room if we all want to get to the places we need to be without being late.

Wednesday morning Drake was really taking his time in everything that he did and had very selective hearing. I usually would have just reminded him calmly to get his shoes on and ushered him out the door. But my nerves and patience were shot. And I lost it. I yelled. I yelled about something silly like getting his shoes on. I was mad, Drake was sad and Charlie had no idea what just happened.

I proceed to hastily and angrily gather the kids and load them into the car. As we were on our way to daycare, the guilt hit me. I felt awful that I had lost my temper for something so silly. At that moment I looked in the rearview mirror, caught Drake's eye and said " Drakie, I am so sorry I got angry with your earlier."

Without missing a beat he looks up and says "It's OK Momma" with the most calm and sincere voice.

And just like that all was forgiven and forgotten as he started chatting about the things he was going to do that day.

A lesson in forgiveness.

From my 3-year-old