Welcome to Being Parents, a weekly series of 50 short, heart-warming, and relatable stories that capture the joys, challenges, and surprises of raising children—one week at a time. This is the Post # 1 out of 50 posts series.
It was an ordinary Tuesday afternoon when Aarav, all of ten years old, burst through the door, his face flushed and his words tumbling over each other.
“Ma! They said I broke the classroom globe! I didn’t even touch it!”
His schoolbag thudded to the floor.
Leena looked up from her reading. For a moment, she felt the familiar pull—to react, to rush to defend him, to call the teacher immediately.
But instead, she paused.
Reactions are easy. Reflections shape character.
She walked to the kitchen without a word and returned with a glass of water.
“Here,” she said gently. “Have a sip first.”
Aarav hesitated. Then he drank.
His breathing slowed. His shoulders relaxed.
They sat together for a minute, no words spoken.
Then Leena asked, “Tell me. Slowly.”
And Aarav did.
As the story unfolded, it turned out no one had blamed him directly. The teacher had simply asked the class what happened.
His classmates were chattering about the broken globe.
In his upset mind, Aarav had felt accused—even when he wasn’t.
Leena smiled softly.
“Sometimes, when we’re upset, we think something happened. But when we slow down, we see the truth more clearly.”
Aarav nodded, thoughtful now.
“Next time,” he said, “I’ll drink water first.”
Post-Facto Reflection:
That evening, after dinner, Leena and Aarav sat on the balcony, watching the sky change colors.
Leena said softly, “Aarav, can we talk about what happened today? Not to scold… just to understand it better.”
Aarav nodded.
They revisited the moment:
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What Aarav felt
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What actually happened
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How he reacted
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What he might do differently next time
Leena guided him gently:
“You did well by pausing. But there’s another step—thinking it through afterward. That’s how we get better, stronger.”
Aarav smiled.
“So… we do this every time?”
Leena grinned.
“If you want. It’s like polishing your shield every day.”
Parenting Insight:
Encouraging a post-facto reflection culture at home helps children:
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Process emotions calmly
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Understand their own reactions
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Build emotional intelligence and wisdom
Families that talk after situations—when emotions are settled—build deeper trust and prepare their children for life’s bigger challenges.
Thank you for reading Aarav’s moment of reflection.
Have you experienced something similar with your child?
We’d love to hear your thoughts, feel free to leave a comment and share this story with other mindful parents.
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