Elyce at Home

When I was thinking about the topic today, Rockwell’s “Somebody’s Watching Me” popped into my head.

If you have kids at home then you know that someone is indeed watching you…all the time!

We are most aware of this when they are around 3 or 4, and they repeat what we say at the most inopportune time.

It is like when Ralphie, the young boy in “A Christmas Story,” is helping his dad change a tire.  The lug nuts go flying out of his hand and an obscenity comes flying out of his mouth.  Ralphie had heard his dad use that word many, many times before, but his parents assumed he wasn’t listening.

But they are always listening…and watching.

They say that the apple doesn’t fall very far from the tree.  Some of that may be due to genetics, but much of that is due to modeling.  Children watch what the parents do and assume that is the way it is done.

This week in www.FiveMinuteLifeLessons.com we talked about greeting someone for the first time.

The first thing we talked about being aware of is your attitude.

What attitude do you model with your children?  Is it the attitude that you want others to use with you?  Is it the attitude you want your kids to use with your grandkids?

Remember…we are also teaching our children how to parent.

If you do find yourself in a bad mood, what do you do about it?  Anything?  We have some things you can do at www.FiveMinuteLifeLessons.com.  And as your kids see you taking responsibility for your mood, they will learn how to take responsibility for theirs.

As far as the greeting part of the lesson this week, as you model a proper greeting toward people you meet, your children will see how it is done.  That doesn’t guarantee that they will do it properly every time…or any time.  But you will know you did your part. The rest is up to them.

Filed under: Life Lessons on January 23rd, 2009