Parents Should Be Good Examples!

I am a true believer that what we do, our children will do. Now just what does this mean? We are the first people our children are around from birth until the time they enter daycare or school. Our habits, attitudes, and ways are what they will learn. Have you ever thought about what your children see when they are looking at you? I do not mean the physical body. I am talking about what values are being instilled in our children as a result of our actions. What possible attributes are they learning at home that they take can take to school or where ever they go in life. Are you a person that can truly say that you set the best example?. If your children left your house and used the same type of manners that they see in you elsewhere would those manners be a result of being taught good morals and values?.

Our children love us so much that at times we could be making the wrong decisions but to them we are their heroes so with that in mind, they will follow us. This reminds me of the time I decided to do something simple as clean my room and the next thing I knew, all of my children were cleaning their room. In the eyes of children it is hard for them to view their parents as being wrong especially when we should be teaching them the right things.

Here are examples of a parent being a good example:

A Hard Worker

Children should know the value of being a hard worker. They should learn that not everything in life is free. I do not believe in paying children to do chores, but I think it would be a good idea to reward them every now and then especially if they are doing an exceptionally good with their chores and are following rules. Are you a couch potato or someone that never seems to get anything around the house done? Children pattern themselves by what they see. Teaching them the values of not being a lazy slowful person is a great value to instill in children. Nothing worth having in life is easy and children need to know that.

Hope and Faith

When times are rough and you've had enough do you give up or do you show your children that life can get hard but there is still hope? Children need to know that there will be those days when life will have its challenges but as long as they have faith in God and themselves, that he will see them through. Handing them things on a silver platter will encourage children to believe that they do not need to work for the things they receive. Do you give up easily and get frustrated quickly when things aren't going the way you feel they should? Remember, your children are watching you.

A Good Attitude

Are you someone with a beautiful attitude or do you walk around the house as if the world owes you something? Do you walk around with a frown on your face all the time? When people approach you or ask you a question, are you are grumpy, frustrated, or just don't seem to want to be bothered with people? We all get tired sometimes but our children should not be affected by our problems. If we are not rich, most of us go through those times when we are having financial problems but our children should not have to deal with those worries. They will have enough time to deal with all of that when they are grown.

A Clean Person

Is your house clean and not cluttered with junk? Are you a person that cleans your house regularly and teaches your children to do the same? Teaching children to have a clean home and how to care for their bodies is vital. Clean habits will stick with them for the rest of their lives. If we practice not being clean, our children will leave our homes and go off to college or maybe get married and make it hard for those that live with them.

A Drug Free Person

Being a person clean from drugs and teaching your children to be the same way will save your children a lot of hardship and heartache. Your child will benefit from being taught to be drug-free in many ways. 1. They will be much healthier 2. They will be able to stay focused and think clearer. 3. They are likely to stay out of trouble and save money.

A Respectful Person

When you discipline your children do you use curse words? Just as parents expect respect, we should give our children respect. To belittle children, curse at them, or call them names, lowers their self esteem. Not to mention that they lose respect for their parents. If they learn that it is alright to talk to children like this, then one day they might have children and the same pattern will be repeated.

A Non-Violent Person

Are you someone that blows off the handle when things aren't the way you feel they should be? When you get mad do you throw things, throw a temper, or even worse get violent and abusive. Hurt people grow up and hurt others. This is an awful thing to instill in children. This type of behavior is like a cancer that grows and grows. The child that was abused or witnessed abuse and violence in the home can grow up and abuse his/her spouse, girlfriend, or potentially your grandchildren. Please think about this, if this is you.

A Responsible Person

Being a person that pays the bills on time, is on time at work, and takes good care of business is definitely something that children should be a witness of. Children need to know the result of what will happen if they are not responsible just as well as being taught how to be responsible. If they do not keep up with their chores maybe they could be put on punishment to show them the other side of not taking care of responsibilities.

A Person Slow to Anger

There are times in all of our life when we get angry. Do you get angry at little things, or at just about everything? When you get angry how do you react? Do you blow up and scare the heck out of your children or do you remain as calm as you possibly can. Teaching your children how to react in certain situations, will teach them how to become better individuals and how to handle challenging situations in the best way possible.

Parenting is not an easy job, but their entire future is in our hands. We can help shape their level of success by offering the best stable and peaceful environment for them. When raising children we must ask ourself what do our children see in us. After all, they did not ask to be here. Then really think about this and be truthful to ourselves. If we are not instilling the best values in our children, then it is not too late. As a child daycare provider, I can remember times where I felt that because parents were not teaching their children the right things, that I had to step in and deal with the affects of that. One of the worse things I have ever heard a child say when I asked them where they got their language from was "my mom says these words all the time". I found that very mind blogging. It is very hard for school teachers or caregivers when they almost feel as if they are re-raising children because the parents are failing to do their job. We as a generation in a time such as this where our children are falling by the way-side must wake up and do everything we can to make the next generations better because we are losing our children to the streets. If we do not make the right choices by instilling values in our children, they will answer to the system. I would rather do everything I can knowing that I taught my children right than watch them end up in jail or worse and wonder if my upbringing had anything to do with this. There are many benefits of being the best possible examples for our children. They will have no excuse for not knowing what is right from wrong. We should not leave this up to anyone else. None of us are perfect but we should strive harder to instill the best values in our children so that our children can accomplish even more than we have. Even the generations under them will be blessed from our great works.

copyright by Victoria Sheffield