When a new baby is born, we like to figure out who he or she resembles. “She’s got her father’s nose” or ” He’s got his mother’s eyes.”
Have you ever thought about how character traits are passed on to our children as well as physical traits? Or how kids adopt our behaviors or mimic our attitudes?

Parenting is a huge, lifetime responsibility as we are called to set an example for our children. They pick up on how we handle difficult situations, how we treat others, the tone of our voice and if we are humble enough to admit when we are wrong and to ask forgiveness. Whether or not we realize it, we are passing on our values and beliefs to the next generation.

Just like a toddler learns to “parrot” what his parents say, a child will imitate her parents’ way of living. I tend to get very nervous when a medical emergency arises. The sight of blood makes me feel faint. My husband, on the other hand, is very calm and reassuring in that kind of situation.

I remember something that my homeschool mentor told me early on: What you allow into your home on a minimal level, your children will do in excess. For example, if you watch a mildly questionable TV program, your children will test the limits of what’s acceptable even further. If you don’t keep your word on a small issue, they will find it harder to trust you on important matters. When you bend the rules just a tiny bit, they will try to get you to bend the rules even more the next time.

Being consistent, honest, and loving as we raised our family was our goal. Did we always achieve that? NO, there were plenty of times when we failed, but with God’s help and forgiveness, we got back up and started over. As moms, it’s easy to feel guilty and stay in the pit when we mess up. It’s best to forgive ourselves and learn from our mistakes so that going forward we will improve our parenting skills. After all, our children will soon be raising our grandchildren…the next generation.

“Grandchildren are the crown of the elderly, and the glory of children is their parents.” Proverbs 17:6