As a parent, when your kid makes a colossal mistake, how you handle it makes a big difference. Kristen Duke, a Parent Teen Coach, recently had the opportunity to practice one of her mom lessons. On a ten-hour mother-daughter road trip, her child accidentally added diesel fuel to their gasoline car.
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The fuel stop was at the midpoint of their trip. When she realized the mistake, Kristen took a breath and considered how to handle the situation. Her daughter was fighting tears. Kristen could have been angry and yelled, or she could stay calm and use this time for a valuable mom lesson. She knew her daughter was busy kicking herself. What she needed most was calm reassurance that accidents happen.
First things first, Kristen made arrangements to have the vehicle towed to a service center. While the car was in the shop, she and her daughter used that time to make memories. With a fully-charged camera, the two recorded the things they did to pass the time. They met new people and engaged in some quality mom-and-daughter bonding.
They got super-sized iced coffees and made a day of it. There were a lot of smiles and laughter, and not so much focus on the mistake. The mistake lingered in the background and will for some time. Kristen’s goal was to shift the focus away from it and treat it as a regular part of life. Her daughter will remember the lesson without her mom having to rub it in.
When the mechanic’s bill came due, Kristen paid it without hesitation. They had a blast during their impromptu travel break, met new people, and even got to play with the repair shop dog.
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