Update: My Guilt-ridden Daughter Makes Amends
The good news is: My daughter has a conscience. After the "love" note was opened and her words pierced my heart like a dagger, Aubrey saw the hurtfulness of her ways and began trying to make amends. My only reaction to reading it at the time was, "Oh, that's sad," but perhaps my crestfallen face was enough to get Aubrey on the path to penitence.
The next day, I got this note: 
"Mom's the Best Brusher Ever!!!!" (four exclamation points). We both know this is not true, but she gets credit for trying.
Less than a couple hours after that note, I got this picture:
(In Aubrey's words, "It's a picture of you brushing my hair really good").
She has always been very tuned in to the emotional climate in our home, and this was no different. She immediately felt really bad for making me feel bad, I could tell. All that day, she kept bringing it back up, and trying to make what she wrote not seem so harsh (because she realized that it was really harsh). Each time she handed me those new pieces of paper, she was hopeful she could undo what she had done. (Even though I had not said anything about it since.) In a strange way, I was pleased that she felt bad for hurting my feelings, because it showed that she is developing empathy. And she definitely gets points for honesty... no need to ask, "C'mon, Aubs, tell me how you really feel." Anyway, I wasn't holding it against her at all, in fact, by the next day, when I received the note and the picture, I had all but forgotten it had occurred. (No time to focus on what happened yesterday when your toddler is flushing toys down the toilet today). It was a good lesson in forgive and forget for both of us. I have brushed her hair since then without seemingly ripping her scalp off. She has been very patient. We're both glad that whole hair episode is behind us.
10 comments:
haha, i'm so glad. she is so sweet, and it really is amazing how in tune she always is with others' feelings.
That is one of her strengths. What cute little thing. I love that girl! I'm glad you're on good terms again.
I'm so glad she tried to undo the done. I know I find myself so frustrated with Brayden at times and each thing that he does mounts up. Children are so quick to forgive and don't let things mount. I'm working on it!
I guess Andrew is experimenting with sink or float. :)
It is nice that she tries to make right her wrongs... it's a good thing to learn early.
She is so dang cute.
That's more like my little sweetheart. A good lesson.
Im glad she made amends. And that she recognized she needed to :)
i sent an email to chad on 2 diff. emails--i don't have yours. i have a ? so check it out:)
glad to know all is right between you two. I love getting notes from Brooklyn - invariably half of them are about me doing something wrong. But, at least she is communicating with me :) Aren't girls the funniest?!?!?
Maybe Aubrey reads your blog. :) I wouldn't put it past her. She seems really smart.
Well, I could really relate to the "Hmphs" in your last post. At least you didn't have to give the dog a bath like your friend did. That would really have made me mad!
I still remember when I said something hurtful to my parents,and I was lots, lots older than Aubrey. The memory of it made me more careful in the future. Good for Aubrey for learning that lesson so young, and good for you for understanding. I love how you always see the glass as "half full."
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