Children Watch, Listen & Learn What They Live

Ever wonder why people are the way they are or where they learned to be a certain way? We cannot discount the influence of upbringing, peers, environment and genetics. Although we have very limited or no control over some of the things that shape our children, we can do our part to make a positive difference. We teach them by the way we treat them and the way we treat others. We can lead them by our example and how we react and cope with people and situations. It is empowering and encouraging to know that children can learn love and happiness when it is manifested in our own lives. They watch... they listen... they learn...they copy, and it becomes what they live. The greatest reward we can ever receive as parents is seeing them live out the beautiful qualities of truly happy and healthy children who grow up to make their own positive contributions to the world and the lives of others.

Below is a very beautiful poem that can inspire us all to do our part in being a positive influence in the lives of children as they learn what they live. May we guide them and help them learn from the good and the bad, inspire them to walk in integrity, live with security, confidence and love, and be the best they can be!

Children Learn What They Live

If a child lives with criticism,
He learns to condemn.
If a child lives with hostility,
He learns to fight.
If a child lives with ridicule,
He learns to be shy.
If a child lives with shame
He learns to feel guilty.
If a child lives with tolerance,
He learns to be patient.
If a child lives with praise,
He learns to appreciate.
If a child lives with encouragement,
He learns confidence.
If a child lives with fairness,
He learns justice.
If a child lives with security,
He learns to have faith .
If a child lives with approval,
He learns to like himself.
If a child lives with acceptance and friendship ,
He learns to find love in the world.

~Dorothy Law Nolte Ph.D.

If you want your children to improve, let them overhear the nice things you say about them to others. ~Haim Ginott

Kids go where there is excitement. They stay where there is love. ~Zig Ziglar

Live so that when your children think of fairness and integrity, they think of you. ~H. Jackson Brown, Jr.

When did we ever get the crazy idea that in order to make children do better, first we must make them feel worse? Think of the last time you felt humiliated or treated unfairly. Did you feel like cooperating or doing better? ~Jane Nelson

Copyright © 2011 Krystal Kuehn. All Rights Reserved.