Children's Mistakes

Peter was a fisherman, originally named Simon, whom Jesus chose to be one of

his followers. An impulsive personality, Peter was prone to making mistakes.

Several of Peter's blunders are recorded in the Bible books of Matthew,

Mark, Luke, and John. He speaks without thinking, acts impulsively, and breaks

promises. He sounds like any one of us!


However, as we continue to read about his life, we see that Peter obviously

learned from his mistakes. He goes on to become a recognized leader among Jesus'

disciples. Jesus wasn't looking for a perfect person when he selected

Peter, and he isn't looking for perfection in us or in our children. Jesus

expects us to make mistakes, plenty of them, and then use those mistakes to

learn what we need to lead our lives for him.

What is a parent to do about children's mistakes? It's a parent's

role to take on an attitude that says, "Mistakes are opportunities to

learn." We are to stop and understand why our children's mistakes

have occurred, and then move forward.


It's not easy for parents to allow children to make mistakes. When our

kids make mistakes, we feel inadequate. When we aren't able to control

our child's behavior, we panic. If there is another adult within earshot,

we are concerned about what they think about us as parents.


Some mistakes are easier than others to accept. When a toddler trips and falls

down on the living room floor, that's OK; he's just learning to

walk. Of course a first grader will mispronounce a word now and then; he's

only learning to read. But how about a two year old throwing a temper tantrum?

Am I able to say that she's learning to express her feelings? What about

a teenager missing curfew? Am I able to say that she's in the process

of learning responsibility?


Mistakes help kids learn skills they need for life: problem solving, negotiation,

and resourcefulness. Let kids make mistakes! They will grow through opportunities

to face a challenge, attempt a solution, sometimes feel failure, but eventually

experience the satisfaction of a problem solved.

--

Diane Overgard, CFLE, has been involved in parent education and staff training,

guiding parents and their children in active learning environments. As a Certified

Family Life Educator, Diane's skill in combining child development theory

with practical applications gives the why as well as the how of strengthening

relationships. Find out how to book Family Impact for your church or home small

groups by visiting http://www.familyimpact.net.