A friend recently heard a mom teaching her little guy about forgiveness as they were waiting outside a neighbor’s house for a play date. Apparently there was a communication mix up and her son was mighty disappointed that he’d been stood up. Mom was right there, explaining the circumstances and, even better, teaching about forgiving your friends when they disappoint you.

Some of the best lessons we can teach our kids happen when we’re in the middle of something else.  As mothers, we need to look for those “teachable moments,” that present themselves when we least expect them to. This little guy needs to know what to do with the disappointing feelings inside his heart when someone lets him down.  Mom gave him the tool of forgiveness to help him know what to do with his feelings.

I’m not talking about “lecture mode,” which we can so easily move into. Rather, I’m talking about “love mode” where we maximize an opportunity that will help drive home a concept our children need to understand.

That wise mom used this small experience as a platform for a much bigger concept. Her son probably doesn’t know it, but he’s one lucky boy. He’s living in a home where character is part of the fabric of everyday life and that’s a skill he’ll need well beyond the play-date years.

Can you think of a time when you’ve used a “teachable moment” to teach a life lesson?  

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