"They" say that kids watch your every move, taking it all in, and will later mimic what you have done. Many parents can attest to this fact, especially when they are in an inopportune place and your child will blurt out a foul word that they only could have heard from you. Or in the instant where they share a personal or sensitive matter with everyone in a 10 foot radius.
Unfortunately, I don't have an embarrassingly funny story to share regarding this, though it would be an even better read. I do, however, have some observations to share as kind of a mental reminder to me.
With any good story, I'll start in the beginning, or this morning in this case. I had gotten Abby off to school, Emma and Jacob were sitting down eating breakfast and Catey was blissfully sitting in her bouncer. I decided that right about then would be a great opportunity to get out my Wii Fit and do some exercising. As I'm working out, the kids are finishing eating, then Emma slowly creeps out of the kitchen and ends up right next to me. I thought she was being a pest or just coming to bother me, so I kept trying to shoo her away. Then I realize, she was "exercising" with me. Trying as hard as she could to mirror the movements she saw her mommy doing. She even got out a block and was holding it in her hand like a Wii remote. I was touched and happy to see that a good habit is hopefully rubbing off on my children!
A little bit later, Jacob was toddling around and goes up to Catey in her seat. At first I thought he was trying hurt her or possibly sit on her head again! Then I quit telling him to get away from her for a minute, just to watch what he's going to do. He carefully bends over, so he doesn't lose his balance, and grabs her pacifier. I thought he was going to steal it for himself, like usual, but again, I refrained from yelling at him for a minute, just to see what he was going to do. He starts trying to put it in Catey's mouth! I eventually had to stop him, because she didn't want it and he was starting to make her mad. I still thought it was so cute he was trying to take care of his baby sister! There maybe hope for this boy after all!!!
What I think is the funniest of all. Abby got her mid year report home from preschool, with the teacher's assessment of how she's doing and what she does in class. It was a great report that totally sounds like everything Abby would do. One comment on it stood out to me the most, "She loves to play 'mom.'" If any of you know my Abby, you know that's exactly what she is at home, little mom. Honestly, I think she'll be one of those that can't wait to start a family, since she's ALWAYS playing "house" and "mom." I just hope she's showing my good sides while she's playing at school and not any of the times when I have to punish them. Not that I'm a horrible tyrant or anything, but we all get a tad embarrassed when we have to discipline in public or when the way you discipline gets repeated to people.
That's just a few examples of things my kids have done that show me they are watching me and they are imitating me. I could really go on, and I did even think of something embarrassing I'll spare you. I know for me, sometimes when reading articles or see someone talking on shows, saying "Your kids watch you and will do what you do", I usually kind of let that roll off my shoulders like "Yeah, sure." When I actually stop and think about it, nothing could be truer!
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