Updated: Jan 18, 2019
Parents are their children’s first role models. Their behavior or success possibly will be imitated by their child, particularly when the child is in their early years. Thinks about it, you and your children share the same setting. You are their innermost environment. The behaviors you display around them become their behaviors and their norm. Young children attain more through their daily dealings with the adults they adore and depended on. The exchanges you both share function as modeling behaviors whether good or bad. Those actions will produce the foundation for learning, behaviors, and morals over your child’s lifespan.
Many of the actions and verbal words use are subconscious. Maybe it is time for us as parents to think before we act and speak. The way you treat your children more than likely stems from the way your parents treated you. Many people that were abused and beaten by their parents tend to repeat the same actions with their children. For the most part it is not intentional but it is what they know as their normal way of dealing with others.
Many sons imitate their fathers because they see the likeness that they both share. Some sons see their dads as the big guy of the house; therefore they want to be big like dad. If that son sees rage, anger, and bitterness those will be the behaviors he understands as right and standard. In the same sense, mothers have to be aware and conscious regarding the things they speak about themselves in the presence their children. Many mothers who have depression and express their sadness verbally can pass that concept to their daughters. For instances, if a mother constantly looks in the mirror and say that she is unattractive and overweight, the young daughter may take those words as an image of herself. We as parents have to be careful with our words and conduct. We must build secure relationships with others and our children so they can learn and model great behavior. Our bond and relationship with our children can determine how they treat their peers, siblings, teachers, authority figures, and most importantly us.
Here is a spiritual insight..
As parents we should follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God (Ephesians5:1-2).