Mom in the Mirror; A True Story

When parents call for parenting help they often feel super frustrated because their child is sassy, talks back, or always has to have the last word. And this problem spans from toddler to teen.

I have parenting tips for them, of course, but I don't start there. I start where a wise teacher started with me about 14 years ago. I was a 4th-grade teacher at the school of my dreams...

It was the beginning of the school year and I was complaining about my students to a seasoned teacher. She was across the hall from me so she could hear me yelling at the kids to settle down. As I complained, she quietly nodded her head. When I finished she asked,

"So, how are you doing?"

I was caught off guard. I expected her to join in and tell me how terrible my class was. But she didn't. She had me focus on the only solution to the problems I was having.

Me.

I did the only thing I could. I mumbled that I had to get back to my classroom and hurried out of hers.

I'm forever grateful to that teacher because that night I did a lot of reflecting and by the next morning, I had my solution.

One of the first things I help my clients with is creating a mission statement for their families. It's step two of the Six Steps process I guide my clients through, Creating a Family Mission Statement.

Creating a Mission Statement is the way my clients stay focused on the one thing they can change, themselves. I call that "Mom and Dad in the Mirror" because by adhering to the values you commit to in your family mission statement, you'll be on the same page, confidently directing your children to a happier and more successful future.

The next day I came to class with a hand-written, poster-sized apology to my students. I hung it up at the front of the room where they would all notice it and then stood in the doorway of my classroom so I could personally greet each student with a smile as they came into our classroom.

When the bell rang, I sat on my stool in the front of the room and told the class I had something very important to say.

I acknowledged that I had not been the teacher I wanted to be in the first weeks of school, I read my apology note aloud, and I told them that starting that very day, we were going to have the BEST year ever.

They all cheered and you know what?

We did.