Teachable Moments
By, Michael Earnshaw
May 8, 2019
@mearnshaw158
“Daddy, why don’t you want to go in there? I want to see what they have?” was what my daughter questioned, displaying confusion as to why I was telling her “no” to a simple request many parents would grant without hesitation. I replied, “Because babe, I said so, we have some other things I have to take care of.” Of course, with her being 7 my answer didn’t suffice. Eventually, I pulled rank and silenced her petition, “No, it’s done, don’t ask any more please!” Silence.
My daughter wasn’t mad or hold a grudge the rest of the evening, and we had a great time together. Before heading home for the night, she pulled out her crowbar and tried prying one more time, one last ditch effort. “Dad, now can we check it out?” I took in a big hit of air, gazed into those eyes that melt my heart and said, “Honey, I’m sorry, but no, it’s over with now anyways.” Silence.
We did one last sweep throughout the hallways, checking over everything to ensure there wasn’t something we missed. It was then we were approached by someone needing a favor. I put on a smile and graciously helped them with their simple request. My daughter threw on her coat, I grabbed my car keys and we headed home.
As I was driving my daughter asked in an inquisitive voice, “Dad, why wouldn’t you let me see what they had in there? I wasn’t going to buy anything, I just wanted to look.” I pondered how I would respond for a few seconds. “Babe, I didn’t want us to go in there because there were some unfriendly people in there. They aren’t very happy with Daddy.” With a slight tilt of her head and scrunching of her brow she replied, “Why don’t they like you? What did you do?” I gazed at my daughter from my rear-view mirror and said, “They just don’t agree with or like the way Daddy does some things. They aren’t very happy with me and have a lot of negativity. Daddy doesn’t have time or the need to bring that negativity around him or his life.” The wheels were turning in my daughter’s beautiful brain. “But Dad, why’d you help that lady? Is she one of the people who aren’t happy with you?”
My daughter is so smart. She wasn’t going to let this go until she knew why I would help someone who isn’t very fond of me. I knew I had to respond with the right words, this was a teachable moment.
“Just because someone doesn’t like another person, that doesn’t give anyone the right to be disrespectful or unkind back. I don’t have room for negativity in my life. I’m a kind person, and if I put kindness out there, I know it’s going to come back to me.”
That was my response, and without me saying that our conversation was over, it was over. I hope my daughter understands why I live my life with a PMA (Positive Mental Attitude) mindset. I pray that she can follow in my footsteps. Only time will tell if she learned from this lesson. I believe she did.
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