By the Way, You're Doing It Wrong
Last week, during Matt's days off he helped out with the laundry. I mean washed, folded, and put away! I was so thankful to come home and see the living room was free of the mounds of clothes we had piled in baskets. Five people evidently wear a lot of clothes!
Later that night after the girls had got their showers, they go in their room looking for their pajamas. When they open up the drawer they see some of Emry’s clothes in Isla’s drawer and Isla’s clothes and Emry’s drawer. Immediately they scream, “Daddy why did you do that? You put our clothes in the wrong place! Mommy doesn’t do it that way.” Matt is efficient when it comes to clothes. He makes sure they get put away at all costs. However, his method is completely different than mine. He finds and empty drawer and puts the clothes in it, doesn’t matter whose drawer it is or even what room it’s in. He just gets the job done. Me not so much. Everything has a place and if it’s not in that place it’s wrong or incorrect.
My girls have no problem telling us when we are getting it wrong. They are very much like me in their ways of needing a routine. Things need to be right. I’ll admit I’m to blame for that. Many arguments have ensued because I have pointed out that it’s simply not right, you did it completely wrong. For a long time I couldn’t understand what the big deal was and why anyone would get so defensive just because I pointed out what was wrong with the situation. Then one day, I got a taste of “by the way Mom, you’re doing it wrong” from my girls.Now I don’t know if it’s human nature or my competitive personality, but I don’t like getting it wrong. I like getting it right and to be told you didn’t quite meet someone else’s expectations, it stings and immediately I went on the defense. Granted it was a 5 & 7 year old, but it still stung.
Then it got me thinking about sharing Truth. Truth isn’t always pleasant to hear because well it’s the Truth. Truth is hard to accept because sometimes it points out your flaws. Sometimes it convicts you. Instead of embracing it and changing your mindset, you stick to your old ways and habits and become defensive to anyone who threatens to try to convince you otherwise.
But what if? I can’t believe I am using that phrase because I used to despise it.
But what if I am doing it wrong? What if I don’t always have to be right? What if I could use some pointers in that area of life? What if I actually listened to see what I could gain from someone else’s thoughts, rather than tuning them out convinced my way is always better or always right?
What if?
We might just see people the way we were intended to see them. Not as enemies, but as people. People who are trying to figure out this thing called life and people who need love rather than constant judgment.
With love,
Tori
Later that night after the girls had got their showers, they go in their room looking for their pajamas. When they open up the drawer they see some of Emry’s clothes in Isla’s drawer and Isla’s clothes and Emry’s drawer. Immediately they scream, “Daddy why did you do that? You put our clothes in the wrong place! Mommy doesn’t do it that way.” Matt is efficient when it comes to clothes. He makes sure they get put away at all costs. However, his method is completely different than mine. He finds and empty drawer and puts the clothes in it, doesn’t matter whose drawer it is or even what room it’s in. He just gets the job done. Me not so much. Everything has a place and if it’s not in that place it’s wrong or incorrect.
My girls have no problem telling us when we are getting it wrong. They are very much like me in their ways of needing a routine. Things need to be right. I’ll admit I’m to blame for that. Many arguments have ensued because I have pointed out that it’s simply not right, you did it completely wrong. For a long time I couldn’t understand what the big deal was and why anyone would get so defensive just because I pointed out what was wrong with the situation. Then one day, I got a taste of “by the way Mom, you’re doing it wrong” from my girls.Now I don’t know if it’s human nature or my competitive personality, but I don’t like getting it wrong. I like getting it right and to be told you didn’t quite meet someone else’s expectations, it stings and immediately I went on the defense. Granted it was a 5 & 7 year old, but it still stung.
Then it got me thinking about sharing Truth. Truth isn’t always pleasant to hear because well it’s the Truth. Truth is hard to accept because sometimes it points out your flaws. Sometimes it convicts you. Instead of embracing it and changing your mindset, you stick to your old ways and habits and become defensive to anyone who threatens to try to convince you otherwise.
But what if? I can’t believe I am using that phrase because I used to despise it.
But what if I am doing it wrong? What if I don’t always have to be right? What if I could use some pointers in that area of life? What if I actually listened to see what I could gain from someone else’s thoughts, rather than tuning them out convinced my way is always better or always right?
What if?
We might just see people the way we were intended to see them. Not as enemies, but as people. People who are trying to figure out this thing called life and people who need love rather than constant judgment.
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By
the way, if no one has told you, you are doing something right. ️
With love,
Tori
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