The mirror always catches you – it’s real time.

Want to confirm if you have a good smile? Look in the mirror. Want to deliver a great speech? Practice in front of a mirror. The mirror will often reflect what you will look like when in public or in front of an audience.

Mirrors have a lot to do with how you parent. Today we continue to look at the mirror as a symbol of how we parent our kids.

Children look at us and see what we think, say and do about ourselves. They may then copy or mirror what we are doing. So if you see a child who is confident out there, they are likely to have confident parents. When you see a child who is afraid and withdrawn, they are likely to be criticized at home. What are you afraid of? Is your child afraid of the same thing? What do you love doing? Do you have a child who loves the same things?

What characteristics and values do you want your child to uphold as they grow up? Is that who you are? Are you telling them or showing them? As Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “Your actions are so loud, I cannot hear what you are saying.”

That said, if you want your child to be a reader, don’t tell them to read. Read to them. Let them catch you reading. Share stories or bits and pieces of what you are reading. Tell them what you like the most about an author or a book. If you want them to love others, let them catch you doing it. Take them along as you show your love to others. Talk about it with them.

What are you doing to connect and relate with your children? What have they caught you doing lately? Share with us by commenting below. We would love to hear from you.