Hello!

Most parents try to be ‘good’ parents… some even strive for perfection in their parenting.

However, whether you’re a ‘good enough’ parent, a good parent or even a great parent, there can many benefits to making parenting mistakes if you deal with them in the right way.

Benefits of making mistakes:

  • If you make a mistake you show your child that everyone makes mistakes – even grownups – and that it is OK to make mistakes as long as you make right, your wrongs.
  • By apologising to your child, you show that her feelings are important to you and you role model that it’s right to say sorry and mean it.
  • You can also talk to your child about the positive or negative impact people can have on others with their words and actions, for example, if you lose your temper, you can talk about how that can hurt another person’s feelings and share the ways you calm yourself down when you’re angry.

These are just some of the many wonderful life skills you can teach your child by making mistakes.

I presented on this topic at an international parenting conference in San Diego. Perhaps you can relate to the stories I share in this video about making parenting mistakes, saying sorry and having another turn. You’ll get some ideas about

  •  How to give your child life skills
  • “The do-over” how to fix parenting mistakes and have another turn at getting it right
  •  And even how to help your child avoid junk food and eat more healthy food too.

So while I know that I’m a less than perfect parent, I give myself a break as I’m still learning on my wonderful, challenging, loving and exciting parenting journey and also I know that I’m giving our child many life-lessons too.

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  • Parenting is all about making mistakes, picking yourself up and moving on. Life is about making mistakes, picking yourself up and moving on. As long as you don’t crumple in a heap when things go wrong

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  • cool some good points made here

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  • thanks for a great article!

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  • there is no such thing as perfection and this applies to parenting also. we are all trying our best, and thats what matters


    • I agree – but with more knowledge and more experience we can keep learning to be a better parent … I love that about all aspects in life… we can keep learning and evolving

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  • Guilty of striving to be the perfect parent. Thanks for the read.


    • I completely understand… I have found that being kind to myself makes me a better parent and better role model for Cameron. Thanks for your comment

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  • Thank you for this article – planning a family soon with my husband, it is a relief to know that we are ‘allowed’ to make mistakes.

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  • Great article. I quite enjoy this authors positive helpful articles


    • Thank you so much. I really appreciate your feedback. Thanks for taking the time to read and comment

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  • Great read and info

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  • This is very encouraging, as I keep failing to be perfect!

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  • What a great article many thanks

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  • The only way to grow is to make mistakes.

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  • Great Article!! Very practical thoughts!!

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  • great reading thanks for sharing

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  • this is a better way of looking at it!


    • Thanks for your positive comment! I always try to look for the silver lining… research shows being positive even about the things that could be seen as negative in life helps us avoid feeling down, anxious and even depressed. The song “Always look on the bright side of life” is a great motto to live by and helps us improve our mental and physical health

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  • Sorry about the spelling mistake below in my response … how funny to make a mistake on a blog post about “making mistakes” have to laugh at ourselves right?

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  • That’s totally true all parents make mistakes in life that’s what life is all about and it’s great when the children also know.


    • Being OK with mistakes means I can be kinder to myslef and others. Thanks for sharing



      • Sorry for the spelling mistake … chuckle chuckle …how funny that it’s in my “benefits of mistakes” blog post – oh the irony – have to laugh at myself!

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  • Great reminder from this article. It make me as a parents and kids learn don’t feel shy to apologise if did something wrong.


    • I love your comment, we can make apologising just a normal part of our children’s life by showing them how to apologise when we make a mistake. I certainly know some people who find it hard or even impossible to say sorry…learning its the right thing to do from a young age can be a great skill for life



      • Sorry about the spelling mistake (myslef instead of myself) in my reply to the blog post below. How funny a mistake in my “benefits of making mistakes” blog post! Chuckle Chuckle …. glad I can laugh at myself

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  • We learn from our mistakes and so can our children. We embrace that in our house.

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  • Totally agree – we are allowed to make mistakes and it is how you deal with them that is important.


    • What a great message… the focus is on how we deal with our mistakes and make things right – thanks

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  • That’s a must read. Good reminder, short but meaningful post. Thanks

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