A chronicle of the ups, downs, and in-betweens of my thirty-something life. Seeing life through many different eyes...parenthood, step-parenthood, marriage, approaching middle-age (argh...can't this one wait), all while attempting to find my significance in this world.

Saturday, March 6, 2010

Monkey See....Monkey Do

It is amazing how many times I have overlooked the impression I am making on my children. I am not saying I throw around adult language like it was candy, but the small every day habits and unconsious displays that I would not want my children to embrace as their own are coming to my attention more and more these days. Although it is impossible to guard against all negative impressions that our children pick up I have been irrefutably slapped in the face with a few of my impressionable habits coming out in my kids. My husband was handling double duty on his laptop and cell phone this morning when in walks our 5 year old daughter inconspicuously mimicking the scene my husband was in at that very moment. I had to capture this to remind me to try to live as I want my children to. I know my parents always told me to "Do as I say and not as I do" but I just can't wrap my mind around the negligence of this statement. Although they thought this was the "right" way to raise a child and they were good parents in their own right, I just can't live in that world. The road of accountability is a much harder road and the outcome or ROI is not yet determined but I am determined to live by the demands I place on my kids (yes in my theoretic, perfect world I must add because I am sure that I can make up a million excuses why things are ok for me but not my kids)

16 comments:

  1. Kids do tend to mimic the parents, so we do need to use caution :-)

    Visiting from MBC- cute blog!

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  2. Cute blog! Visiting from the Follow Club on MBC! I'm now following :)

    Love for you to come visit me!
    ~Shelley @ Shelley's Swag

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  3. Love your blog, following from MBC!
    http://gummasplace.blogspot.com/

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  4. Love the pictures! Your layout is so nice right now in the dead of winter!! LOL I am a new follower from MBC.
    ~Allison
    http://the-winfields-7.blogspot.com/

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  5. Following from MBC. Wonderful blog! I am enjoying! Stop by my blog: www.ann-crabs.blogspot.com

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  6. Good for you!!! That is a very honorable choice to make, to be a better person for your kids!!

    I found you via MBC and am following. Follow back at http://jotgiveaways.blogspot.com

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  7. I am just waiting for the day my toddler "talks like daddy." Aughh! Love your blog, and following from MBC. Check me out sometime if you get a chance!

    http://crazyforcloth.blogspot.com

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  8. Great post, and great blog! This one really hits home as our 2yr old is really starting to pick things up. We have to be so careful!

    Following from MBC - come check my site out when you have a chance! http://imfindingmyweigh.blogspot.com

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  9. I'm trying to change some of my faults before my daughter begins to copy them. Nice blog. Following from MBC!

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  10. Ugh! I'd say this is accountability coming to kick me in the .....oh, wait! I shouldn't say that if I don't want my kids saying it!! Ha! I love this! I need a reminder. Yesterday I told my daughter and son to stop arguing, and that they needed to learn to say, "I may be wrong." They don't have to say they are wrong or think they are wrong, just admit that they might be. My daughter said, "That's not what you do...." OOPS!

    Thanks for the reminder!

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  11. Hi there Angie! Thanks for stopping by my blog and for the comments on my post about the things I wish I knew before becoming a Mom. On your post today I totally agree - I had one of those moments the other week that I blogged about (check it out if you have time, it's a classic) where I ended up shouting at my 3 year old daughter that there was no need to shout. Pot calling the kettle black as they say where I come from! One of the comments I got back on this post - which I thought was excellent - was that sometimes it is good for your children to see you do something wrong so long as you then apologize, that way they learn that everyone can be wrong sometimes and that knowing you've done something wrong and saying sorry is the right way to move forward. Trick is as the parent not doing the wrong thing too often!

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  12. Ok...so too similar so far! I wrote a blog over the summer about my cellphone-toting kids (pretend of course) and you and I pick the same blog background. Looking forward to more.
    Following from MBC http://choosingtogrow-whattheblog.blogspot.com/

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  13. Def. once the kids get older - you notice what habits they pick up from you.

    Thanks for stopping by my blog earlier today!

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  14. Following you from MBC.

    Ana
    http://floridafrugalfamily.blogspot.com/

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  15. visiting from MBC!!

    follow back!


    Rebecca
    http://mamabmy.blogspot.com

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  16. I am following you from MBC :-)

    You can find me here~

    http://debshere.blogspot.com/

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