I grew up hearing, "nobody's perfect," whenever someone made a mistake. When I became a teacher, it was only natural that I use that saying in my classroom with my students. I said it because I didn't want them to feel bad about themselves when they made a mistake, but in actuality, that wasn't helping them. It was taking away their accountability...they did make an error. What I do now (I was going to say, what I should have done, but I don't believe in the word "should"...to me, it's just as bad as the other "s" word :)), is tell the students that it's okay, they are doing the best they know how to, and then we fix the mistake together.
For example, one of my students used the word "watched" incorrectly in a sentence. Instead of correcting him and then saying, "nobody's perfect," in attempt to console him, I simply waited until he ended his sentence and then said, "you did the best you knew how to, now let's talk about the word watched. You used it as "washed", but that is a different word with a different meaning. "Watched" is talking about seeing something." I gave him a sentence and then had him use watched in his own sentence (second attempt)...he used it correctly.
We are always doing the best we can based on what we know, even when we are watching TV...in that moment, we are doing the best we can do. We are all perfect (what a change of thinking for me). I feel like the saying, "nobody's perfect," has been hardwired in my brain (well, it has). I actively work on changing that hard wiring. One way I do that, is by singing Pink's F*ckin' Perfect song (I like the clean version :)) every morning. I actually have it taped to my bathroom mirror and I sing it while I blow dry my hair.
CHORUS
"Pretty, pretty please, don't you ever, ever feel like you're less than, less than perfect.
Pretty, pretty, please, if you ever, ever feel like you're nothing, you are perfect to me."
Try singing it...it may change your perception of yourself and the others around you. And remember…YOU ARE PERFECT!!!!!
