WHO ARE YOU RAISING?

Some time ago, I saw the video of a little girl of about 16 months old who took hold of a wallet full of money. She brought out 2 notes from it, tuck them in front of her dress (breast area) and closed the wallet back. She then stylishly put it back where she took it from. 

I was shocked! 

It is easy to deduce from that video that the child must have seen an adult do such at one time or the other. So, she is copying that adult (most likely a female who can steal and hide money in her bra).

Who can she be mimicking? Giving the most probable assumption... Maybe her mother, how she secretly takes the father's money and tuck into her bra. She sees it done in her presence, and she does likewise. 

Even if it isn't the mum she copied. The fact is that she saw something bad and she did likewise. That goes to tell you that every adult should be careful of the things they do in the presence these  little ones. 

The question is: what kind of things do you do in the presence of the children? If it is bad, be sure they will emulate and if it is positive, I can assure you it will be copied as well. 

THE MOST EFFECTIVE MOTTO IN CHILD TRAINING IS NOT 'DO AS I SAY' BUT 'DO AS I DO'. 

Some parents are raising thieves, liars, criminals, hooligans etc. This is because they are not conscious or intentional about the things they do round them. 

 

They tell the child not to lie but they lie in the presence of that child. Or they even teach the child to lie by telling him/her to cover up for them: they say "Tell Mr So & so that I am not at home" while they are at home. 

If there are things you don't want your children to do, the best thing is that you don't do it in their presence. Because if you do, they will duplicate it. 

As parents or guardians, we need to be intentional about our actions and inactions in the presence of the children because they are watching.

And what they watch, they emulate. 

At this juncture, note that, before you hold your children accountable, MAKE SURE YOU CAN BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FIRST. This is because most of the attributes they exhibit, they learnt from you. Most of the things they do, they do because they saw you do. 

Children learn more by example than through any other means. All we need to do is give them less theory and more practical to emulate. It makes our work effective and easier.

Child training is not a once and for all feat. Neither is it a walk in the park. It is a continuous work. And as the saying goes: 'Whatsoever is worth doing is worth doing well'. If child training is worth doing, then it should be done with all we've got. 

The question is: 'Who are you raising?"

Are you raising a king/queen or you are a truant or a menace? 

How you are raising that child today determines what he or she will become.

If you want to raise royalty, START NOW. 

Elizabeth Oduwaye 

--Touching the world POSITIVELY; one person at a time.