"I want my toy."
"This one?"
"Yes"
"Here you are."
"No the other one!"
This was a typical conversation between my son and I for months, as he went through a period of unrelenting indecision.
And it drove me crazy.
He wanted something, then changed his mind, then changed it again, and again.
The more I pushed him to make a decision, the more agitated we both became. Since 'bad parenting' moments are born of anger, agitation and irritation, I knew that I needed a reframe.
So I asked myself, what is my son teaching me? Because all of life is a mirror, showing me to myself.
The answer came quick.
He's finding his voice. He's working through a very human fear of loss, "what if I choose the wrong thing?"
Boy could I relate. We were in lockstep together, his emotions mirroring my own. I'd been grappling with that same fear in my business, with a new hire decision that I'd put off.
So I began to meet my son with acceptance, patience and the gentle prod: "It's ok, go ahead and choose. You can always come back and do something else later."
And we both began to shift. To jump in and take a stand, knowing that if we find a better fit down the road, we can correct course and move on. Easy peasy.
And I'm happy to report that I now have a new hire that I love, and my son is embracing new adventure with gusto.