Mistakes happenâtheyâre part of being human! đ But as parents, itâs easy to get caught in the blame game: âWhy canât you be more careful?!â or âYou made the mess, so you fix it!â While understandable, these reactions miss an opportunity to teach our kids skills theyâll carry for life. As you watch this video remember the goal is to remember overarching principles and not necessarily the exact script.
Instead of assigning blame, letâs reframe mistakes as *teachable moments.* Whether itâs spilled milk, a forgotten chore, or a broken toy, these everyday slip-ups can help kids develop problem-solving, responsibility, and empathy. Mistakes arenât failuresâtheyâre stepping stones for growth and resilience. đĄ
Hereâs how to turn mistakes into lessons:
⨠Growth Mindset: Normalize mistakes to teach kids independence and resilience. Theyâre an essential part of learning and growing.
⨠Confidence Building: When mistakes are met with solutions instead of shame, kids learn responsibility and build self-esteem.
⨠Empathy & Repair: Mistakes that affect others are chances to teach kindness and how to make amends.
⨠Natural Consequences: Mistakes have consequencesâlike a broken toy that doesnât get replacedâbut donât have to involve shaming.
Being shamed for mistakes is something Iâm actively trying to unlearn as a parent. Itâs hard work, but I see it paying off when Ryaan says, âItâs okay, Mommy. It was an accident,â after I spill somethingâoffering ME grace instead of judgment. đĽš
Want to dive deeper? Comment or DM âGROWTH MINDSETâ for my podcast episode on teaching kids to learn from mistakes or âRESILIENT PODCASTâ for tips on building resilience and teaching kids to handle lifeâs ups and downs while respecting their emotions.
If you find my videos helpful, share them and follow @pedsdoctalk for more.
How do you handle mistakes in your home? Share your insights bel
