A wise person once told me, “Children become what you are, so be what you want them to be.” I remember as a child watching my mother so intently. I wanted to be just like her. She was my hero, she still is. Even now, years later, I watch her and learn how to be the kind of mother I want to be. I know without a doubt that I am who I am today because of her example to me. She showed me the things that were important. She taught me everything from how to tie my shoes, to how to drive a car, and she did it all as a single mother. Now, she has a new pair of eyes on her; her grandson’s. He is watching her just as I did, and I couldn’t think of a better example for him to follow.
If you want your children to be hard workers, then be a hard worker yourself. If you want them to be goal oriented, then set goals yourself. Your children are watching you constantly. They love you and want to be like you. Be the person you want your children to be. As they get older it may seem as if you are the last person in the world they want to be like, but they are still watching.
The old saying, “do as I say, not as I do,” doesn’t work as a parent. You have to live what you teach. If you can’t do it yourself, how can you possibly expect your children to do it. Be someone that your children can look up to. We all make mistakes, but show your children how to overcome them. Show them your strength so that they in turn will learn to be strong. Be the example they need in their lives. I will be forever grateful for the woman who was mine.