Mom brag: Baker got a stack of papers back yesterday...10 papers or so. All were perfect scores except 3, which were in the B's due to careless mistakes here and there.
We celebrated the 100% scores. He was so proud. We talked about how the others were good grades if he tried his best, but when we looked at the mistakes, he recognized they were careless. We talked about the mistakes, and I had him correct each paper and write why the original answers were wrong.
I stood by and listened as he bravely and independently took the papers back to his teacher and said, "I know I don't get any more points and that the grades are not bad, but I fixed these so I don't make the same careless mistakes again." He was so brave and mature and never once pouted or complained. He had such a positive spirit and was genuinely interested in learning from his mistakes because, "Mommy, that's what a scientist does when he makes a mistake or has to rethink his hypothesis. Scientists can't be careless."
I have to admit, I'm even more proud of his maturity and attitude about correcting the 85%, 88%, and 80%, than the other seven perfect scores. I pray that he approaches all of life's blunders with a scientist's approach. The mistake is only bad if you leave it that way and don't learn from it...otherwise it's just another step toward the right answer.
As adults, we can make some huge blunders. But it's important that we look at all of the things God has done in our lives and all of the things we've gotten right through He who strengthens us. Sometimes we make the same mistakes again and again...it's when we come to the place that we forgive ourselves (because He already did), pay no attention to what others might think, face our mistake, prepare our hearts for the hardship, and open up to learning, that we can actually see the redeeming value in it all.
I'm learning from my 7 year old that ego is for the birds.
I also learned yesterday that he hopes to one day make a bird-rhino hybrid...not sure if that would be a small flying horned creature or a flying rhino...but that's another post for another day.
