Practice What You Preach

Parenting is a challenging journey that is also very rewarding. All children learn by what they see and hear not necessarily by what they are told to do. Practice what you are preaching to your children and you may see better results.

Sure there are plenty of books that pertain to the parenting subject but each child is born with their own destiny and personality. Some parents are old school and will "knock their kids into next week" when they act up. If you are whooping the kids and then telling them to keep their hands to themselves and not physically fight with siblings or friends then you are contradicting yourself (just my opinion).

Example: Little Susan hit her sister because they were fighting over a toy, here comes mom or dad and gives Susan a slap and tells her that hitting is bad. HUH? She's thinking but didn't you just hit me? Why is that ok?

Now for all of the people who are reading this and saying, "I was whooped and turned out ok" or "No one can tell me not to hit my kids, they won't be getting out of control with me". As a child growing up in the 70's, when I got in trouble (was more often than not) I got whooped. Although I respected my mother's parenting, I became immune to it.

Alright, let me choose a less controversial example, lol. Your teenage son is sitting outside of a friend's house and you just so happen to drive by when you notice he's smoking a cigarette! OH NO HE DIDN'T!! Yup, he sure did! The kid is thinking, mom or dad how can you preach to me that smoking is so wrong when you smoke two packs a day, in the house and car when I'm sitting right next to you? The thing that hits his mind is well I'm sucking in all that second hand smoke anyway so who cares if I smoke two or three Newports.

My whole point is that you have to show them not just tell them. Practice what you preach and the results will come with more ease.

Just something that I was pondering.

God Bless!