sometimes we just have to accept we are not perfect
By mbs730
@mbs730 (2147)
Canada
December 22, 2006 3:15pm CST
The other day my 4 year old daughter was looking at a pencile and asked me "mommy why do pencils have erasers". Well I told it's because... we all make mistakes. If we never ever made a mistake, then there would be no such thing as an eraser. I also said it's OK to make mistakes. We are all human and are meant to make mistakes so we learn from them. Really, that is something I should have answered to myself. I know myself I get all hissy and upset if I make a mistake. I admit I am a perfectionist. But I know I am not the only one that gets upset after making a mistake. Well I have to remind myself and remind others who think like me that it is is OK to make a mistake. How else will we learn from them? And besides if we had never made a mistake, we wouldn't be human. Some of you may think this is a dumb discussion but I wanted to share this because I know there are others out there who also get upset with themselves after making a mistake. I am one of them... so.. if you make a mistake, it's OK. Just learn from it and move on. We are all meant to make these mistakes for that reason and move on :)
2 people like this
4 responses
@mbs730 (2147)
• Canada
24 Apr 08
Wow thanks. Actually my 4 year old daughter is now 6 years old :) Thats great that mylot keeps discussions that were created over 2 years ago. No really, it is because I know this is a valuable discussion. And even though I had told her that its okay to make mistakes she still gets upset when she makes one no matter how minor it is. Even when I make a mistake I try to let her know that I did just so she knows mommmy and daddy make a lot of mistakes too. And I sure have made many in my life!
@Cammeel1 (372)
• United States
24 Apr 08
I have to say that I love the fact that you talked to your child about making mistakes in life. All of this from a simple question about an eraser. Some parents may just have answered simply that it is there to erase the mistake that you wrote so that you can write it again. It is parents like you who really take the time and effort to not only answer the question but to put a life lesson along with it.
I know I am guilty at times of being short on my answers with my girls and sometimes when I am buried with cooking, work, house, etc I just quickly blurt out the answer or say can we talk about it later? I commend you and the many parents like you who take the time to really listen to their kids and give 120% to teaching them. Maybe the lesson is as simple as what an eraser is, but to take something so simple and turn it into a life lesson it truly what being a parent is all about.
Yes it sure is too bad that we can't have the magical eraser to go back to "erase" the things in life that we woud rather not have happened to us. Although you said it perfectly. We learn from our mistakes.
If I were to go back and erase leaving the military instead of reenlisting I wouldnt have my two girls today. Soon after I got hojme from overseas I began to regret leaving the service and thought it a terrible mistake. 1 year later I gave birth to my beautiful daughter.
Erasing mistakes would be like going back in time and changing something. Whatever it is you want to change. What happens when you do that though? Not only do you alter your own life, plans, future, existence, but those around you who are a part of your life.
Mistakes are a good thing. Let's keep making them and teaching our children that mistakes are not necessarily all that bad afterall.
@themyl (1423)
• United States
28 Dec 06
We are alike in the sense that I, too, don't like to make mistakes. When asked why I always use a pen instead of a pencil, I respond with, I always strive Not to make mistakes; therefore, I use a pen because if I make a mistake, it will look obvious and Messy.
