Expectations.
Ninja # 2 got caught doing something he shouldn’t have been doing.
However I had expected it to happen at some point, given that the kids are going through teenage years and they are discovering the edges of boundaries.
I think he expected me to get mad but I didn’t.
We talked about it and then I let it go.
I hope that this incident will help build trust as he grows up into adulthood.
Expectations go both ways.
The key to a life that is limited in dysfunctional conflicts is to make sure that
– expectations are crystal clear
– both parties have the competence and capability to meet them, and
– both parties have the DESIRE to meet those expectations
Otherwise the result is an unhappy outcome.
So the reasons why scraping my car would be less alarming 😱 than goldfish murder are –
1. I expect accidents, scrapes and dents when they start driving and
2. We haven’t any goldfish 😁
Also, if the last item happened, I’d worry about aliens taking over my child!! 😧
Set expectations right, and ye shall have a less stressful life.
#OnThePeiroll
#ExpectationsManagement
