It’s OK to make mistakes. When I heard those words being spoken on a podcast I almost cried. It was such a revelation at that moment in my life, even though it’s nothing new. Even though it may sound like a cliche to you right now as you’re reading this, just really think about it for a minute. When was the last time you told yourself or your children that it’s ok to make mistakes?
Reminding myself of the normality of making mistakes and accepting them has been hard but worth it. Be it as a mother, daughter, sister or friend I am learning how to stop the obsession I often have about certain things I have done during the day, and view these ‘mistakes’ as little life lessons.
A mistake can be anything that has left you feeling bad or isolated. It resonates differently with each of us but it carries the same distraught feeling that you’ve done something wrong.
Very recently, with Georgie, I have had to discuss making mistakes. He needed guidance and support but above all he had to know that it was ok to make mistakes. He needed to know that I make them too. That is how you grow and become stronger, I told him. As long as you understand why it was a mistake then you can begin to fix it. And that’s the important part: what you did after the mistake, how you fixed it.
It’s also OK for me, as a mother, to make mistakes. I am allowed to make mistakes despite living smack bang in the middle of the social media era therefore ‘forbidden’ from making mistakes. We all know by now that kids don’t come with a manual. Everything else in this world does. But not this. Have you ever thought why? It’s because of the simple fact that there is no one way or right way to do it. You can’t make mistakes when you’re carving your own path.
It’s important for our kids -and us!- to understand that everyone makes mistakes. It’s as simple as that. We all make mistakes all the time. It’s because we’re human and shit happens. It’s because we are so busy, so demanding, always comparing ourselves to others and expecting more and better. And it’s because we’re raising little ones, working and having to do it all perfectly. We need to be gentle with ourselves, yes, but we must start guiding our young ones on how they can learn to handle their mistakes and those of others. As I said, it’s been a bit of a revelation, applying this simple reminder to my life.
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