Watch What I Do, Listen To What I Say

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Watch What I Do, Listen To What I Say

Last week I read this article about how to keep your kids from drugs and other ill-advised activities.  I grew up in the D.A.R.E. era and was completely scared straight. Now that I have my own children I’m not sure how to go about doing that.  The article I read didn’t give me any action points, no sure-fire ways to make sure my kids don’t end up with an insane addiction.  Instead, it pointed the finger at me and said if I wanted to keep my children away from any sort of self-destructive behavior I need to do one thing.

Tell my children to watch me.  Tell my children to listen to what I say.

I’m sorry, just have them watch me??  How is this going to help me scare them straight?!

The more I pondered this whole “watch me” idea it really started to make a lot of sense.  I don’t know about you but my four-year-old copies what my husband does and my one-year-old copies what my four-year-old does.  

My four-year-old wants to be just like his daddy.  He mimics everything.  It’s really cute. And scary.  He is watching everything, like a hawk.  This is how he is learning to do everything in life.  

I knew parenting was a BIG thing, but molding a small mind is pretty much the most frightening thing I’ve ever embarked upon.

Think back to all of the things you do now that your parents did.  Remember the first time you said something that was EXACTLY what your mom or dad would say?  How many of us have said, “Omg, I’m turning into my mother/father!” {Trust me you’re not alone I am my mother.}

Your kids are watching whether you like it or not.  

My son is watching how he is supposed to treat a woman.  He’s learning it all from watching my husband.  My son is also learning about self-control – he sees daddy drink one beer at dinner.  ONE.  Daddy isn’t coming home late smelling of alcohol.  He’s at home eating dinner, cleaning the dishes and playing with my son.

And then I saw the finger pointing at me and wondered am I able to tell my children to watch me?  Listen to the words I say?  That’s scary.

Are my actions showing my kids how to respect themselves, care about others, love each other, find their passions?  Most importantly to stay away from drugs?!

Seriously. Scared. Straight.  

Instead of having the mantra of do what I say not what I do – I want to say yes, WATCH ME!  See what I do.  Yes, do what I do!!  

Sure I’ve made a thousand mistakes in the past that I don’t want my children to have to endure.  But I’m talking about the right here and the right now.  

Are you able to tell your children to watch you?

Watch What I Do, Listen To What I Say