Learning Lessons

I often wonder, as a parent, How on earth can I teach my children lessons, that I am still learning myself?

I took the kids for a walk this afternoon in the double pram. And Charlie was fiddling with the hood of the pram, pushing it up, and down, and up and down.... it was irritating and he was going to jam his fingers. So I asked him to stop. He didn't of course, so I held the hood in place so he couldn't move it anymore. He realised I had spoiled his fun, so he got cranky, and kicked his sister.

I got up him, and told him. "When you are angry, and upset, it is not okay to take that out on somebody else!"

And as s the words came out of my mouth, I realised how much I needed to hear them. I remembered myself, earlier in the day. I had been clipping our dog Chloe, which is one of those jobs I just hate. The clippers must have gotten a bit hot, and hurt Chloe, and she yelped and tried to bite the clippers. But, because I was in hot and cranky and frustrated... I smacked her. And my reaction was exactly the same as my two year old's.

There are so many lessons, so many things that I want to get right for my kids. But the truth is, they are the lessons I am still learning and re-learning every day.

I guess we just have to learn together.