part0042

From the time they’re born until they’re old enough to leave home and make their own decisions, children learn by observation. Think about it: when they’re younger, they don’t understand your words. They learn language itself by imitation, and it remains just as important as they learn habits and how to interact with others. There’s no reason to assume that things get drastically different as they grow older, but a lot of parents act as if it does and neglect to set themselves as a model for their kids to follow.

Just as words will only go so far when your children are younger, the same applies when they are older and preparing to enter the adult world. More so, in fact – younger kids are merely imitating without any real understanding, but as they grow older they begin to develop logic and reasoning and apply it to what they observe. They notice any disparity between your words and actions and really think about what it means: if you’re not following your own advice then it can’t be that important or practical. The example you set for your kids can have immense consequences on how they behave down the road. You are the closest examples they have for what adult life is like – how to handle obligations and responsibilities, how to be self-driven and, especially, what a good and loving relationship is like. That is a responsibility not to be taken lightly.

You, like every other parent, want your children to act, do and be better than you are. The only way to do that is to actually be better – embody the principles you want to pass down to them every day and they will follow them .