Whither shall I go to obtain food?

In chapter 16 Nephi breaks his bow and his brothers are angry and they don't bring home dinner. It must have been awful. To know you might starve is scary and I think we have all experienced the grumpiness of being hungry. Babies cry, adults get grumpy. We read about how even Lehi with all the faith he has shown, even he complained to the Lord. This must have been the breaking point I think. Nephi speaks with the "energy of his soul" and they humbled themselves. The important part of this story is Nephi, after making another bow out of wood, goes and asks his father, "Whither shall I go to obtain food?" He saw his father give in to murmuring, but still gave him the respect and confidence. Instead of breaking him down for his error, he builds him up by showing his respect and that he still trusts in him. This is an amazing attribute a person can have. I badly want this attribute because I think my family would greatly benefit from it. I am not quite sure how to get it. In the class I am taking it talked about treating a man as the person he ought to be and he will become that person. I think of my children and wonder how I can do that. I sometimes wonder if I am doing the opposite of that and the thought mortifies me because that is NOT the type of mother or parent I want to be. I want to be encouraging, motivating, trusted and nurturing. How did Nephi know that it was the right thing to do to still ask his father? How do I treat the people in my life in that same respect?