5 Things I Say To My Kids That I Wish I Didn’t

We all made lists in our mind of things we will NEVER say or do as parents. Maybe our moms and dads did things like that, maybe they made those mistakes. But we certainly never will. Yeah, right! We’ll, I’m walking proof that my parenting at times can be not-so-perfect just like my parents’ was. And sometimes, I say things to my kids that I just CAN’T believe!

 
Here’s my sad list of things that I surely wish I could strike from my parenting vocabulary:

 
1. “I don’t care…” My sister and I used to get so mad at our dad for telling us that he didn’t care what we thought, “This is what we’re doing.” How rude, we used to think. Well, guilty as charged! When my five-year-old tells me that she doesn’t want to pick up her toys, I have said more than once that I don’t CARE whether she wants to do it, that’s what she needs to do! She is articulate enough to ask me, in a rather heartbroken sort of way, “You don’t care about me!?” “Oh, no, baby! I care about you a lot! I just am saying that it doesn’t matter whether or not you want to do something, it still has to be done.” Sheesh! What have I done?

2. “Shut up!” Oh, this is so bad. It’s not even allowed in elementary school because it’s such a super no-no. Yet, when my daughter gets into own of her huge ragey, screamy fits, that’s exactly what comes out of my mouth.

3. “I’m not asking you, I’m telling you!” Oh, no, and the voice of my father comes out of my mouth… How did that happen? I couldn’t even tell you how many times my dad told me that. And now, I totally get it. Ouch!

4. “Wait till your father gets home.” Really!? Was that straight out of a movie or what!? But, man, sometimes you have to wait on the big guns to come home to really put the fear in those little rascals. Poor husband. The last thing he wants to do when coming home from a long day at work is to have to lay the smack down, but I sure am glad that he has my back!

5. “What’s wrong with you!?” Why would I ask such a question? It’s my heart’s desire to build in my girls’ minds and hearts the reality that they are fearfully and wonderfully made, and here I am asking what’s wrong with them. Yuck, give me a do-over, please!
One thing I do believe I do well is apologize. I know when I am in the wrong, and I do not want my kiddos to hold things against me into adulthood. Nor do I want it weighing on my conscience that I have done something appalling. That’s when I humble myself and ask for forgiveness from my little ones.

 
What about you? Do you wish you had a “re-do” button sometimes? What do you do to keep yourself from making these statements? Or how do you remedy what you just blurted out?

Written By: Lisa Liebling