Parenting Moment: Your Children Are Watching You

“I like spicy food, just like Daddy.”

It’s cute when our children want to be just like Mommy and Daddy, but it’s also a bit sobering. After all, they’re watching how we handle life’s daily trials…and copying us.

We all know how irritating it is when our child decides to whine and complain instead of complying quickly. But do we whine and complain to God? Are we setting the example of cheerfully embracing what God Sovereignly allows each day, even if it goes against everything we wanted? Most of us would say “yes” if God Himself showed up and said “this is my plan,” but we tend to forget that He is Sovereign over every detail in our lives, which means every little irritation and upset to our plans happened with His okay. Do we get angry or worried by life’s interruptions, or do we embrace them as a trial God has allowed and praise Him through it?

We all want our children to react well when their friends act poorly—to be courageous leaders. But do we keep our hearts at peace when our children act foolishly or are in a bad mood? Are we showing them how to truly be courageous leaders, not letting those around them negatively affect how they live?

And how are we handling our failures (which we ALL have)? Do we try to hide them, or are we honest about how much we need Jesus and modeling repentance?

If we want our light to shine for our children so they glorify God (Matthew 5:14-16), we have to be humble and honest about how much we need Jesus every day, and about how it’s His strength that helps us overcome.

Our children are watching us. They’re learning by how we live.