Duplicating Ourselves
Giving Time - Teaching Skills for Life
As parents we are accountable for duplicating ourselves into our kids.
Duplication means to make an exact copy of something, or to reproduce something or a repetition of something.
So do we duplicate the good or the bad characteristics of ourselves into our kids?
How often do we look at people and say "oh they are just like their mum or dad"
Can you see the same characteristics in your partner that are in your parents in law?
Our kids are watching us all the time from birth. Even in the womb babies are aware of moods and voices around them.
So what are we bringing our kids into?
A home of love and harmony where disputes are dealt with in a positive way?
Or a home of anger, abuse, and distrust?
Without meaning to we seem to duplicate negative aspects of ourselves far more easily than the positives.
What should we duplicate?
- How to love (we must demonstrate this by our actions continually
- We must give of our time(after all we want to spend time with those we love)
- How to speak to each other with respect
- How to submit to authority
- We show our kids how to care (by caring for others ourselves)
- How to do things in order and well
- We show kids how to have fun
- We demonstrate how to take risks in life
- We set the standards (if we want no swearing in the house we mustn't swear either)
- We demonstrate good timekeeping
- We demonstrate good work ethics
- We keep our finances in good order
- We care for our home and things
- We should not be lazy.
- We show the kids how to choose good mentors to speak into their lives
- We show the kids who they should allow to speak into their lives
- We demonstrate saying sorry
- We demonstrate forgiving and forgiveness
Duplicating the good is hard work and takes time and energy.
We should always be transparent so the kids can see we are who we seem to be.
We will get it wrong sometimes thats ok just say sorry if needed and rethink.
We have a saying in our family:
Do what you have always done and you'll get what you've always got.
And another
- I do, you watch
- You do, I watch
- You go and do
So grab the kids and lets get duplicating ourselves into their lives. You will be glad you did.
