Lighten Up

From Spiritual Parenting Thought For the Week.

A woman who attended one of my workshops recently sent me e-mail. She was racked with guilt over losing her temper with her four-year old son. "He pushed me to my very limits. I'd just had it--and yelled at him. Do you think I've totally crushed his spirit?"

Yes, our words are important and we should use them with care but we all make mistakes. We are human and imperfect. Many of us worry incessantly about our parenting errors and choices--are we good enough? The truth is, when we lighten up and take ourselves a bit less seriously we create a healthier balance for our kids and ourselves.

I suggested this distraught mom might take the time to set appropriate limits so her son's whining doesn't drive her to the edge again. I recalled the times I'd given myself time outs to take some deep breaths and get it together before returning to squabbling children or an obstinate toddler.

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