Models Wanted!

Starting a family is a blessed event. But why doesn't anyone level with us about how much hard work is actually involved in raising children? I think they leave it as a niffty suprise for us unsuspecting Pollyannas like me who think it will all be pretty simple. See I thought if my children were well behaved then I should be able to give them instructions and they would follow them. They would listen and just do the right things. But in reality...

Kids need consistency and a model to follow. That's right. Don't just talk the talk, but walk the walk. Because when I think back to most of my lessons as a child, I remember seeing my grandmother do the  action she wanted me to mirror. If she said make up your bed each morning, best believe hers was made up first. I also saw her read her bible and I often heard her pray. So it wasn't foreign to me. When she spoke to people she was kind and respectful so I learned that too. Many of her teachings were embedded in my memory so I could use them when the time came.

No parent can always expect to be a perfect model but if we put some effort into following our own advice, our children will see our good works and want to emulate us. With that in mind, let's take it a step further and copy the Master's lead. In doing so our children learn to be less like their parents and more like God.

Blessings,

Polly