How can my behaviors and attitudes affect my child?

We influence our children more than anyone else. They are most likely to pattern their choices and beliefs after ours, even when we tell them to do otherwise. If you hate your nose, your daughter will fear hers resembles yours. If you suffer from road rage, your child will be reactive when they drive. If you are physically active on a regular basis, your child will likely maintain that habit throughout his or her life. We don't want our children to suffer from the same insecurities and struggles that we do. The best way to protect our children from the battles we fight is for us to conquer those battles.

If you do not want your child to eat junk food, not letting them have it or not eating it until they go to bed will not protect them; they will still know that it is in the house. Your best bet to protect your kids is to kick the habit yourself. When you lack the motivation to make changes for yourself, creating a brighter future for your children can be your motivation. Parents that monitor how their kids use the Internet, what they watch on TV, etc. may be forgetting to monitor the messages their kids are receiving directly from them.