But I didn’t hear…

I like Thursdays; I can take the morning at a slightly slower pace. I only have to leave for college at 9am, a full hour later than usual. However, this morning I was taken by surprise by the doorbell at 8.30 and the sight of a familiar backpack through the window.

There was Unique standing on the step resembling a drowned rat in the pouring rain. She had left 20 minutes before, heading off to her friend’s house around the corner before walking with him to school. My immediate thought (of course) was that there had been some sort of problem which had prompted her return.

She rushed past me into the house, grabbing a carrier bag by the front door, ‘Forgot my clothes for the disco!’ she exclaimed, rushing out again.

The previous night she had packed her clothes to wear for the school disco and left them by the front door as instructed. The plan was that I would pass them on to H, the childminder when I collected Unique from school later that day, thus saving her lugging them to school in the rain. When she went to H’s after school on Friday, her clothes would already be there and she could get ready before heading back to school for the disco.

Unsurprisingly, she hadn’t listened properly when I explained the plan.

Surprising was her reaction when I told her off for not listening. ‘You didn’t listen did you? I told you I would give the bag to Helen when I collect you from school later,’ I scolded.

The expression on her face said it all.

‘I got it wrong again. I have let you down.’

She mumbled a hurried ‘But I didn’t hear…’ before I sent her off to school once more. The look on her face continued to bore into me, chastising me more than I chastised her. All that was required on my part was a gentle reminder of the plan and a ‘don’t worry, I am going to sort it out’ comment. Instead I laid into her verbally as I usually do.

This time I got it wrong, I let her down.

We are often quick to expect people to accept our human errors, yet we are intolerant of them in other adults, let alone children. I am grateful to God for revealing this today and I pray that I will be more gracious and loving when correcting my daughter in future. I know that Unique will experience failure at many things in her life but I hope that I will never again make her feel like a failure.

Thank you Heavenly Father that in your eyes we can never be failures. Help us to love others the way you do.