Growing up Friday's were always hectic. Needed to get the house cleaned and whatever cooking could be done ahead of time done for Sabbath. While I no longer attend church frequently, I still wake up Friday morning feeling like everything has to be done by sundown. It never is. It never was when I was a child. It was so stamped into my psyche that everything had to be perfect come Friday evening that more than 20 years after I stopped attending church regularly that I cannot break that feeling. Today it made stop and think about what habits and behaviors I am instilling in my children.
What values to I want my children to take into adulthood with them? Do I want them to always feel that no matter what they do that it will never be good enough, that it will never be right? Or do I want them to be able to look at things and know that they gave it their best and move on, trying harder next time? What exactly am I teaching my children by maintaining this obese figure?
I do not want to teach them to accept an unhealthy life style. It is not genetic. It is not something over which there is no control. It is a choice. Every day I make the choice of whether to exercise or not, to eat fresh fruit or make a cake, to eat veggies seasoned with herbs or coat them in cheese or butter. I want to teach my children, have stamped on their brains, that they alone control the quality of their life.
I'm starting with not beating myself up over not having a spotless house. I got the dishes done and the fridge cleaned out today. In a few minutes, my son and I will take the dog for a walk before getting my daughter and her best friend from the bus. I have eaten healthy today, worked through a migraine and will have a healthy menu for next week before going shopping.
All I can do is show them by example, stamp on their minds with my actions what I want them to carry forward in life.
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