Teaching By Example

If you are a parent you can probably remember the time when your little one was first born. Although you were probably sleep deprived, you were able to care for you child by feeding your son or daughter, changing his diapers, providing her with warmth and most importantly, you were sure to love that baby. Although you may hardly call those times easy, when you think about it there were a lot of things that you did not have to worry about. You did not have to worry about your baby doing the wrong thing or staying out past curfew. But, as you know, things change.

Parents have the awesome responsibility not only to protect and look after their children, but also to teach them what they will need to know for the rest of their lives. Parents must teach their children right from wrong. Parents teach children about manners, religion, reading and writing, cooking, safety, acceptable language and behavior, social skills, sharing, how to make choices, the list could go on and on.

Not only must a parent teach all these important principles to their children, but they must do it over and over again. Different lessons are to be taught and repeated at different stages of life. Sometimes your children will not understand what you teach them; sometimes they will understand perfectly and choose to make decisions contrary to what you have taught them. The number of variables involved makes raising children more complicated than any advanced calculus or trigonometry equation.

Yet, despite the difficulty, the challenge is ever present and inescapable by the loving parent. You know the trials that lie ahead and behind you. What you do not know is the best way to play the role of parent and teacher and what the best way is to teach your children.

If you were to act on nothing but one suggestion it would be this, live an exemplary life for your children. From the day that a child is born he looks to his parents for direction. Actions speak louder than words when it comes to teaching your children. Living by example is the best teacher for any life lesson. Of course you should communicate with your children and talk with them about the important lessons in life, but then you should reinforce those lessons by showing them a good example. Parents must set the standard for their children. If they do not, someone else will.

Consistency is also of the utmost importance. Children cannot learn in an environment where they do not feel safe. In order to feel in control children need to have a sense what each day holds for them. Children learn best on a schedule. Consistency is therefore of the utmost importance for the parents as well. Parents need to give their children the assurance that the actions of the parents are going to be consistent. A child should be able to predict the response of their parents. Children also develop important personal traits such as self-control, respect, patience, and responsibility from observing the reactions of their parents.

So you see, you do not have to have a teaching certificate or a degree in child behavior to be able to be a good teacher to your children. They need the love and praise of well-intentioned parents who strive to exemplify the principles that they teach. Children need to feel loved and cared for. Do this and you will develop a stronger relationship with your child as well as instill in them life lessons that they will hopefully teach children of their own.