Parents have a natural instinct to shield their children from any harm. When a kid makes a mistake, parents tend to believe it’s a phase and that they’re likely to grow out of it. To prove we are good parents, we rescue the child from the consequence of the error. While kids need to know that their parents love them and that blunders are inevitable, it’s even more important when parents teach kids to learn not only from their mistakes but also from those of their parents.
It’s a fact that bad things can happen to good people. So what valuable life lessons can parents teach their kids?
Legal troubles
When faced with a problem it’s easy to use alcohol and other drugs to escape the reality. Over-consumption of alcohol when throwing a party is a common practice. After a couple of drinks, children and even adults can get behind a wheel with no desire whatsoever to get into an accident or hurt anyone. Tough DUI or DWI standards apply to drunk drivers under the age of 21 and adults found driving under the influence risk losing their license.
Children will most likely drink alcohol either to copy their parents or to fit in with their friends. When faced with a legal trouble, some parents defend their children which only work to promote the bad behavior. The responsibility to teach how an alcohol-related legal problem can be life-altering falls on their parents. It may come in the form of explaining to a child why mom or dad must use a Low Cost Interlock device to operate the family car. Or, hopefully, the lesson is a little less up close and personal. In any case, these lessons have to start from home.
Relationship woes
No kid wants to hear their parents are getting a divorce. When it happens, the parents can be busy dealing with their emotions and picking up the pieces of their life that they forget their children are also affected. By openly criticizing, passing blame and pointing fingers, parents are giving their kids a chance to observe and learn how they deal with conflict and complex emotions.
Instead of teaching your kids negative traits such as how to refuse to compromise, perfecting the silent treatment or when to pass snide comments; show them how to cope with stressful relationship situations by exercising understanding and compromise. Couples who decide to seek divorce ought to make an effort to continue to work as a team rather than face off as enemies. This is itself a lesson for kids who otherwise may draw negative conclusions about the risks of love and happiness.
Financial mistakes
Extravagant spending is one of the main reasons why couples have fights. However, that doesn’t stop most of us from wanting materialistic items. The misguided notion that a luxurious car and beautifully decorated home brings happiness often result in bankruptcy and a mountain of debts.
Whether it was for showing off or due to financial inexperience; learning from your mistakes involves getting on course. In the midst of money disagreements, avoids using bad language and surrendering to petty behavior that prevents any compromise. Be in control of your spending by sticking to a budget and show your kids the benefits of saving more and spending less. That way, during their adulthood, when faced with the similar situation your kids can use the instilled values to make sound financial decisions.
Despite the challenges you will have to overcome in life, your children will use your behavior as a learning tool to navigate similar obstacles. Every bad break or poor choices you make as a parent should be a learning lesson not only to you but also to your children so that they don’t make the same mistakes.
