Since having my own son I have found that to be true. My son likes to emulate his father more than me in so many instances…but his father emulates his own father, too. I sometimes can hear my mother echoing through my words as I speak them to my child. The effect that our parenting has on child development is very profound. Children know what they see and experience and most of that comes from parents.

If I want the love of God reflected through my son, I have to reflect Him. If I am a constant force of bitterness, complaining, and abuse in my son’s eyes, then what should I expect him to be to me? We can only ask of our children what we have fed to them over the years. We can’t expect them to always try and rise above their learned norm. Why? They don’t know any better. By the time they find out, it might be too late.

We have to be what we want our children to be. They are sponges soaking up what they are given. When pressed, they only release the same. A sponge can’t change the contents. When we look at our children we are looking at ourselves. We have to become better so they can be better.