I think everyone acts a little different when they realize they’ve screwed up.
Many of us want to hide (Adam and Eve are a great example of this).
Some of us go into defending our mistakes despite the overwhelming evidence.
Others practice avoidance, pretending nothing happened at all.
Then there is Brewer, my 4 year-old. We always know when he’s screwed up. He screams at the top of his lungs hoping to get sympathy for whatever it is he’s done wrong. Not a bad strategy.
Thursday night while wrestling with his brothers he knocked over a vase and broke it. What I caught on video was Brewer doing what he does just seconds after messing up.
For me, I think it depends on how big the screw up was. But in most cases I’ve learned to apologize immediately and find out how or if it can be fixed. 9 times out of 10, I’ll still run and hide for a bit after the apology until I regain my confidence. I’m curious how well I’d do with my boss if I just used Brewer’s tactics.
.-= Morgan´s last blog ..Where to begin… =-.
Yep, Brewer and I have a lot in common! And when this tactic fails, I usually just slam some doors or something…some day I really should look into growing up.
.-= Cindy Graves´s last blog ..You Can’t Play From the Sidelines… =-.
I hope he doesn’t learn the slamming doors part.
Brewer’s method is the complete opposite of the run-and-hide tactic, isn’t it?!
I think what I do is completely dependent on the infraction I’ve committed. Sometimes I try to fix it immediately; sometimes, like a coward, I lay low and hope it will go unnoticed. It almost never does, though!
.-= Chrissy´s last blog ..Resorting To Plan B =-.
First of all, LOVE the sunglasses! And second of all, this seems all to familiar to me!
My 3 year old son gets pretty choked up when he has done something he shouldn’t. But I love his tenderness!
Is there anything better than fatherhood?!
.-= Rob Rash´s last blog ..Father’s Day Traditions, etc. =-.
Sweet Fancy Moses! That kid’s got some lungs on him! I actually admire him. He knew he was busted. At least he didn’t try to deny what he had done.
.-= katdish´s last blog ..The People Next Door (by Billy Coffey) =-.
He gets those lungs from his momma.
Yeah. Sure he did.
.-= katdish´s last blog ..The People Next Door (by Billy Coffey) =-.
lol, while watching that all i could see is my 3 yr old. He does the same thing its crazy!
Man, maybe the ref from the US/Slovenia game should have tried this approach last week!! At least Brewer knew he had messed up…along with everyone else! Good stuff.
What a blogger thinks when he’s screwed up:
“This is going to make an excellent post. I wonder if I can tie in Lady Gaga to get more traffic from Twitter?”
At least, that’s what I’m told that bloggers do.
Dave
.-= Dave Wilson´s last blog ..Grace-Driven Effort =-.
Funny.
.-= Sharkbait´s last blog ..Biblios Hokku – Philemon =-.
Isn’t that what we do alot (if not all) of the time with God? After we screw up, we realize we’re already “found out” by God and run to our Father’s arms when He calls for us. We scream, cry, wail, sometimes kick and scream while He’s holding us, just because we recognize the severity of what we’ve done and that we’re not perfect.
Wow, Sara, I needed to read that. Thank you!
.-= Morgan´s last blog ..Where to begin… =-.
So true.
Who would think an adult can get schooled by a 3-year old? If we were more forthcoming about our screw-ups, we would prevent ourselves from becoming perfect little monsters.
By the way, those are some cool shades he’s got.
.-= Berean Girl´s last blog ..An Unbelieving Father =-.
I would definitely turn into salesman and relentlessly attempt to convince you that YOU screwed up, not me
.
.-= Toby´s last blog ..Pacific Northwest Here We Come =-.
Yes, I’m with Toby. I’d try to pawn it off on someone else.
-Marshall Jones Jr.
.-= bondChristian´s last blog ..Learning from mY Generation: Stories on the art of listening =-.
That’s more of my tactic as well.
I think the funniest part about this whole thing is that you got it on video, haha!!!
Are you sure that’s Brewer and not my youngest brother a decade ago? He used to do the same. and then if he didn’t get sympathy he’d try to cry so much and make himself throw up.
I don’t really cry and scream, I just like to hide – because I’m embarrassed when I mess up.
.-= Laura Anne´s last blog ..Father’s Day: the heart of the matter =-.
Hide. It is kind of like playing pickaboo with a little kid. Sometimes when they close their eyes they don’t think anybody can see them.
.-= David Knapp´s last blog ..Fanta Is Awesome! =-.
Can’t see the video.
.-= Sharkbait´s last blog ..Biblios Hokku – Philemon =-.
Too often myself offering to do some kind of penance (can you guess what church body I was raised in?) instead of just admitting the mistake and asking for forgiveness. Some habits die hard.
That just put the biggest smile on my face (I know I’m a bad person). I use to try and hit things I broke. Like stash it behind the couch hoping no one would notice it was missing. Screaming might have worked out better…
.-= Sarah´s last blog ..Music Monday =-.
I’m one who hides. I’ll cut myself off and shut down.
.-= michael´s last blog ..My Mom’s Tooth =-.
Well I have been told (umm recently) that I offer excuses. My favorite line is “What do you expect I am not perfect.”
WELL I’M NOT!! Oh oh working on that…
i use to try and admit my mistakes but that was until i saw the brilliance of the Brewer Method. that put a smile on my face! LOVE IT!
Thats quite typical for a child that age. My older one usually comes up to me with eyes filled up to the brim with tears as the tale is narrated between sobs. The younger one will go OOOPSY!! and give me the look see to see if I saw what happened and then go “I’m sorry, I didnt mean to do that”.
Most always I admit to mistakes, either try to remedy it or compensate for it.. I have tried not admitting in my younger years and realized I cant keep missing out on sleep and I like a good night’s sleep..
I usually pray, but have lately become frustrated with my view of “cheap grace” and forgiveness. It’s caused me to dismiss my screw-ups, instead of trying to better learn from them.
Maybe I should start screaming…