Pride and Apologies

My pride almost always has to be conquered before I apologize. I'm not proud to admit this...but its not always as easy battle. Especially when it comes to my kids. I don't like to be wrong, most of the time I don't think I am (I'm not saying this is accurate, just another pride issue). The truth is, sometimes I blow it. Sometimes I am confused and react. Sometimes I honestly just don't know what I am doing or saying when it comes to this parenting thing, and I have to apologize to my kids.

The other day I got an amazing glimpse into what apologizing in our home has done for our seventeen year old daughter. She and her dad were being interviewed about their father-daughter relationship and she was asked do tell about something her dad does that has made an impact on her. She talked about how we haven't been afraid to apologize to her. My ears perked up as I sat at the computer in another room. She said that what our apologies have done is allow her room to not have to always be right.

What a big thought. Room to not have to always be right. If we can teach our kids this, we have done the world a favor.

Hmmmm...and I thought when I apologized it was all about me. My focus was on how to get over my pride and how to admit I was wrong, and how that made me feel...and all along, it was really more about making an impact that helped to shape something within her that has helped her to be a more gracious teen and will certainly make her a gracious adult. It turns about, it's not about me, its been about her.