My 9 year old asked me why I told him to be kind to everyone at school but I was just mean to someone on the phone. That hurt. He was right. I realized I've been preaching values but not always walking them out myself. How can I expect my kids to follow Christ if they don't see it in me? Started being more intentional about actually living out my faith instead of just talking about it.
That's a gut punch but also the perfect wake up call. Kids are incredible mirrors like that. What did you say to him?
Man, that's a tough pill but a good one. Your kid just gave you a gift by calling you out. Shows he respects you enough to be honest.
That moment when your kid is the mirror and you don't like what you see. Props for taking it to heart and making a change. He's already learning what integrity looks like.
This is the stuff that keeps me up at night too. Kids don't miss anything. Sounds like you're doing the hard work of actually living what you teach, and that matters.
Been there. My kid caught me being short with someone at the grocery store and asked why I wasn't being kind like I told him to be. Humbling moment but also a teaching opportunity for both of us.
Ouch. That's the kind of moment that stops you cold though. Kids have this amazing ability to hold up a mirror to our hypocrisy. The fact that he called you out means he trusts you enough to be honest.
Nine year olds don't pull punches. What did you say to him after he called you out? That conversation is probably worth more than a hundred pep talks about kindness.
Out of the mouths of babes man. Nine year olds don't filter. The good news is you caught it and now you can model how to course correct. That's teaching more than if you'd never made the mistake.
This is when you know it's real. They're paying closer attention to what we do than what we say. Probably one of the most important moments you'll have as a parent.
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This is one of those parenting moments that actually matters more than you might think. He's learning that grown-ups aren't perfect and that we have to own our mistakes. That's huge.