Have you ever thought, “Where on earth is my child getting this unruly behavior from?” When kids are growing up they see and hear a lot of different things.

Watch what you do in front of your kids! That’s my advice!

“Do as I say, not as I do!”

A lot of us tell our kids not to be like us, but to be better than us. Our kids learn A LOT from the things we say and do, especially bad habits. It seems like they pick up your bad habits quicker than good habits.

One of my, “do as I say, not as I do”, moments was in the eighties. My daughter was 7 years old and I used to be a smoker. One time we were in the car, I asked her to pass and light me a cigarette from my purse. After I finished smoking my cigarette and threw it out the window, I still smelled smoke in the car. I turned around and saw my daughter with a lit cigarette to her lips. She was imitating me! After the shock of seeing her with the cigarette passed, I explained to her that smoking is a bad habit that she should avoid. Then I said, “I don’t ever want to see a cigarette on your lips! Or I’ll snatch your lips off!”

Show and Tell

Do kids pick up every single thing they see or hear? No, BUT why not show them good habits while they’re still taking what we say and do seriously? Tell them and show them how they can be their best.

• Teach your children to work hard and take pride in themselves.
• Tell them that they don’t have to do everything that their friends are doing.
• Show them they don’t have to be like everyone on TV or in the neighborhood to be great.
• Teach them to love.
• Let them know that they can do anything if they put their mind to it.

A lot of times our kids’ heroes are people they don’t even know like Lebron James or Tiger Woods. We might not be perfect, but we can be their heroes too.

TIP: Everything that you say and do in front of your kids is important. Be YOUR best so that your kids can be THEIR best!

Linda Johnson: I have been a Community Neighborhood Navigator (CNN), community health worker, in Detroit’s Brightmoor area for two years. I am also a wife, mother, and grandmother to one daughter and 2 grandchildren.  As a CNN, I work hard to put the compassion and drive back into helping people of the community. Because I have a big heart and a lot of love, and all I need are more opportunities to give.