Monkey See, Monkey Do

Today is a beautiful, lazy Sunday at our house.  I am taking the day off from studying for boards and recovering from throwing a big Bridal Party luncheon for our soon-to-be-married babysitter, the Amazing Miss R.  While the kids and I were playing together, I had a moment that reminded how innocently impressionable children can be.

G-Bear wanted to play haircut with me.  For a three year old who has never had a haircut, this should be hilarious, I thought.  At least she has seen her brother get a haircut once or twice!  G-Bear had me kneel down on the floor so she could reach my head.  She proceeded to deliver me with cups and lids from the kitchen kid tableware drawer, so that I could put them on my head.  There I sat, looking quite ridiculous, kneeling on the ground with cups and lids on my head.  Then, who should arrive next to me, but E-Bear, with a cup and lid in his own hand.  He plopped it on his head and knelt down beside me, scooting close so that our legs were touching.  And there we sat, still looking ridiculous, getting our "haircut" while kneeling down with cups on our heads.

It was so fun to have E-Bear join in the imaginary "haircut" that was nothing like the real thing.  As I sat there next to my little 20-month old parrot, who was happy just to be part of the fun, it occurred to me that he had no sense of how silly we looked or how unrealistic the game was that we were playing.

And so it is with most behaviors my children see in myself and others.  G-Bear may have more context than E-Bear, having seen some behaviors and my reactions to them before.  But at this point a primary context and guidance for the behavior they will adopt as their own is that which they see others do, especially me and T.

So today I am reflecting on my actions, my habits, my patience, my tone of voice.  I am praying that I might be a good role model for my kids, so that their behaviors and habits might likewise be good ones.