Who is Watching You???

My 1^st Observer: loves to repeat everything you say…..including swear words, mimics facial expressions, watches what you watch on TV, wants to eat chocolate and sweets every time he sees you eat them

My 2^nd Observer: hears what you say (but can’t repeat the swear words back yet), can sense a stressed out mommy at times and can see what you do up to 18 inches away!

Nothing makes you feel like you are corrupting a child more than when they repeat something they definitely were not intended to have heard. After a long day of errands and working on our blog, my husband thought he would try to be romantically candid with me to win some attention. While I was sitting there typing at the computer and nursing the baby with spit up all over my shirt, he blurted out “Hey there Sexy!” Sure enough, without skipping a beat, our 3 year old runs up to me and yells out loud for all the world to hear “Hey there Sexy!” Smooth move hubby :)

My son definitely has some big ears! My children watch how I deal with emotions, how I react to situations, how I treat people and the list goes on and on. If being a parent is not hard enough, we need to be conscious of our every move because the children are watching. We are their examples, leaders, and role models. They look up to us.

They watch the types of food we eat. They watch when you are scouring through the entire kitchen for something that has to do with chocolate. I might occasionally crave it and want it like a drug addict. I wish I could eat chocolate and cookies all day long, but I know if I did my 3 year old would be right there along with me stuffing his face and putting him in a sugar induced coma.  So instead, I try to be conscious of what I eat in front of him. I want to help him learn how to take care of his body and make healthy choices. Here is a cute little video of my boy years back trying his first taste of vegetables. Got to start them young!

They watch if you sit on your butt all day long and watch TV, or if you are doing work around the house and being active. Growing up, I always remember my mom being active. She was always a member of a gym and worked out and still does every day. If she wasn’t working out, then she was teaching aerobic classes, gymnastics or dance classes. Even as a child, I was watching her and it definitely had an impact on my life and health.  Because of her example, I know the importance of keeping up an active lifestyle.

They watch if you are nice and respectful to people and serving others or if you are gossiping and making fun of them behind their backs.

They watch if you go to church and if you like it, or if you don’t go, or go and complain how boring it was.

Bottom line, we have a HUGE influence on our children. So try your best! We are all struggling together. Even when you think it’s not working and you are corrupting your children, keep on trying. They will undoubtedly surprise you. In fact, as I write this my little boy very loudly belched and actually followed it up with a very cute “excuse me”!

So cheers to all of us mothers!! No one said it was easy! Thank goodness we all have children who are the “cutest in the world”!