Tender Teaching Moments

I love my Willow Tree figurines. I have a collection from the different milestones and memories in my life, many of which were gifts from my husband when we were engaged or when our little boy came along. My husband picked this one out for our little boy to give me for Christmas when he was a year old and it brought me to tears. I love the moment this statue captures. This figure reminds me of the countless sacrifices a mother makes for her child, and the greatest thing she gets in return is knowing that she holds the future of that child. She is the one who makes him feel safe, who can provide comfort, and who teaches him life's greatest lessons. Everything she does molds him into who he will become.  
Two years later, it was that same little boy that knocked it off the shelf in a careless accident. I was devastated to see one of my precious figures broken into so many pieces. I was frustrated. Frustrated that he didn't listen after being told repeatedly not to do that in the house, and especially frustrated that I got the consequence of his actions. It would have been easy to blame him and release some of my frustration through a long rant and what he did that was wrong, but I held back. I had a moment to think because I was not in the room when this happened. I overheard and understood the situation; my husband told our little boy he needed to go tell me what had happened. I waited and thought. When my sweet little boy brought my broken figurine in his arms with regret in his eyes, I wasn't angry. Not when I thought of everything that figurine represented to me. That figurine shows the influence a mother has on her son, and I used that moment to teach him. I let him express his apology and I forgave him. I let him know I was disappointed, but that I know he did not mean to break it. "It happened by accident, and we all have many accidents in our lives. Thank you for telling me and trying to make it better." Then I gathered pieces and tried to glue them back together. It took quite an effort to keep them in the right place while the glue dried, but the cracked figure still sits on my shelf. When I look at it I still remember the lesson I taught my son that day, but more importantly the lesson I learned that day.
It is our role as parents to teach our children. We must be consistent in our rules and in our consequences. But I believe we also owe our children a little mercy. Think of all the times you have made a mistake and wronged someone else...especially when that someone else if one of our children. We expect them to forgive us and deal with our imperfections. We can create a stronger bond with our children when we recognize the times they are trying...they are trying to get things right, and we just accept their effort, despite the mistakes that come along with it.