They say actions speak louder than words.
Sometimes, I really hope this isn’t true.
I hope its not true as I’m shoveling fistfuls of M&M’s in my mouth as I make a nutritious dinner for my family and tell them no snacking before dinner.
I hope its not true as I yell, “Would you use your inside voices please!?!?!”
I hope its not true as I sit in front of a Blackhawks game while I am doing my Second City writing homework, and tell my kids to take their handwriting upstairs in the dining room.
These things are unfair I know, but there are just some privileges that are reserved for adulthood, no?
While I know that subscribing to the old mantra of “Do as I say, not as I do” is not always the best way to parent, I do wonder if it is sometimes ok. Parents are human too, and it is important for our kids to know and see that.
It is true that kids look up to us to be their example. In my short time being a parent, there are behaviors I see my kids mimic that make me happy. I’m happy that they are learning positive behaviors like healthy habits, prayers before bed and wanting to be outside.
There are some habits though, that are less than stellar. They aren’t horrible, but they really aren’t something I want my kids to participate in at this stage in their life. For example, trying to escape this frigid and never ending Chicago winter by binge watching Veronica Mars on AmazonPrime would not be considered my finest parenting hour(s) (and hours).
There’s worse I could be doing. Right?
Us parents, we are human, and we need to cut ourselves some slack. We aren’t going to be perfect all the time even though little eyes are watching, and that is when need to let our words do the teaching too.
Sometimes I hope my words speak louder than my actions.
