Monday, October 20, 2008

Be Willing To Have It So

"Be willing to have it so. Acceptance of what has happened is the first step to overcoming the consequences of any misfortune." - William James


Our children often have a melt-down when things don't go exactly the way they want or expect. When that happens, we have an opportunity to teach them the importance of acceptance. Too often I see parents miss this opportunity entirely. Instead, they bribe their child with promises in an effort to distract them from their disappointment. It is better to use patient conversation to guide them in the way of acceptance.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

We live with 'melt downs' almost everyday with my youngest. It's like you've ruined everything possible.

He recovers quickly...but I realize I start trying to make decisions based on not wanting to deal with a melt down.

Anonymous said...

Awareness is the first step. Change come easier after that.