Trace It Back

I went to check on my youngest son while he was sleeping and found that he had his I-pod playing in his ears. He had fallen asleep while listening to music.

In the morning I was about to embark on “why he should go to sleep when he is supposed to and not to sneak his I pod and keep himself awake because he had school, hockey practice, blah, blah, blah…”

Before I launched into my speech, I happened to ask him what he was listening to. He told me, “The Beatles”.

For some reason I couldn’t proceed with my planned reprimand.

It was me who exposed him to The Beatles! I was the original starting point for his lack of sleep now!

TAKEAWAY: In any upset, if we can find a point where we had some responsibility in creating it, it makes it much easier and saner to deal with and work out a sensible plan without unneeded bad emotion or upset.