What Your Kids Are Learning from You

Whether you want to or not, you do serve as a role model.
--Brooks Robinson, American baseball player

What are your kids learning from you? As parents, we hope they’re picking up good habits and learning how to be caring, principled people. Yet, no parent is perfect. We have our strengths and our weaknesses. The better we know ourselves, the better we’ll parent our kids.

Tips for

• all parents

o Get to know yourself more. What are you good at? What do you struggle with?

o Be intentional about how you parent.

o Notice how you treat the mistakes you make.

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• parents with children ages birth to 5

o Think of your child as a mirror that is reflecting everything you do.

o Pay attention to behaviors your child picks up from other adults.

o Monitor your own stress level.

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• parents with children ages 6 to 9

o Don’t be surprised if your child points out your inconsistencies.

o Model strong work habits.

o Get your family involved with service projects.

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• parents with children ages 10 to 15

o Stand up for yourself without putting down your child.

o Model positive ways to interact with peers.

o Discuss the learning and growing that you experience.

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• parents with children ages 16 to 18

o Begin to discuss the complexities of being human.

o Ask your teenager what makes it difficult to be a teenager.

o Work to be a good role model for your child.

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