“What you are speaks so loudly that I cannot hear what you say.
- Ralph Waldo Emerson
All parents want their kids to grow up to be honorable human beings – to be God-fearing, honest, loving, and morally upright. Sadly, our kids learn more from our actions than they do our lectures. I have read countless of parenting books reminding me of this adage that it should be imprinted in me already by this time. This is not saying that I have the most virtuous kids in the neighborhood; on the contrary, I think it only stresses that I have the worst memory. :)
Save for a few lapses, I seriously try to model what I say and I try to live my life the way I want them to live theirs. Healthy habits, active lifestyle, love for learning and fear of the Lord are some of the habits I consciously try to put into practice everyday. And I hope that my actions speak as loudly as my words.
Nonetheless, I acknowledge my limitations, and when it comes to certain things I throw in the white towel: I have never been and will never be the athletic, multi-sport type of person. Knowing that I simply cannot make my kids better than the examples they see around them everyday, I have gathered a few “athletic” friends who agreed to share their stories to serve as inspiration. So in the next few days, you will read about a friend who live a very active and purposeful life that will surely inspire everyone.
I hear you. It is very difficult to raise kids nowadays and as a parent, it is doubly hard to be conscious of your words and actions all the time. We need all the support we can get.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you both. Our responsibility to our children is to provide them with the TOOLS to live their life fully - well-balanced, well-adapted, and reaching their potentials. We provide the tools for them the best way we can - leading by example and garnering the support of our family, friends, and community. After all, an African proverb states, "it takes a village to raise a child..."
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