PARENTAL ROLE MODELS
If you’re lucky, you grow up in a house where you can learn what kind of person you should be from your parents. And on that count I was very lucky.
The standards to which we hold our children should be no higher than the standards to which we hold ourselves. If we expect them to be industrious, then we must be industrious. Ditto any adjective we would like to be able to ascribe to them: fair-minded, considerate, determined—you name it. Of course, our children will have their own personalities and temperament, vulnerabilities and strengths. There are no guarantees that they will mirror every good quality we possess, but as they move into the world, they may come to value the modes of behavior that are familiar to them. As parents we can never underestimate the amount of influence we have on our children. Let’s make sure that the example we provide them with is one we’d like to see them reflect.
Call to Action: On this day, I will take five minutes to think about what kind of role model I am for my child, and if I need improvement, I pledge to do better.
