Do As I Say, Not As I Do

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“You need to make your bed; be dressed to shoes; brush your teeth and hair; and your room should be neat and tidy before you have breakfast. Oh and remember breakfast time is over by 8:30, so you only have about half an hour. Let’s work diligently today—we can’t get behind,” I said with my warning-tinged voice.

“Yes, Ma’am,” answered my first-born humbly, as she left my room to pass along my instructions to her siblings. 

And then I turned around.

Staring back at me were at least three piles of laundry needing to be folded, an unmade bed, a pile of homeschool books still waiting to be put away, clothes to go to the local charity, and myself still in my PJ’s. And nope, neither my hair nor my teeth were brushed.

Yes, as the Mama I do have more responsibility than my children—I could easily justify my own sleeping a little later than usual on the fact that I needed to tend to my toddler in the middle of the night. I could even make myself feel better about the laundry, since I do take on the brunt of the housework, while also homeschooling, meeting writing deadlines, and helping my husband with his company. And I know I could easily find at least twenty of my closest girlfriends to agree with me.

But in that moment, only one thought came to mind.

Attitudes and character are caught, not taught.

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