Notes from Nana

a legacy of faith, wisdom, and love

Day Three: We Are Always Teaching

Posted 12 years ago by Laurel

Cook, maid, nurse, cheerleader, personal shopper, chauffeur, counselor… on any given day parents wear many hats.  But the one that we never take off is that of teacher.  Maybe you’ve never thought of yourself as a teacher.  Teachers are the ones who write lesson plans and have stacks of papers to grade, right? 

A teacher’s primary purpose is to provide instruction.  Well, parents, isn’t that what we are doing with our children every day?  We are constantly working on skill-building- how to do tasks independently, how to have good manners, how to communicate appropriately, etc. You might not define yourself as a “teacher,” but that is certainly paramount in the parent job description. 

Most of us realize that to be effective parents we must be intentional about instructing our kids.  And let’s not forget the importance of taking advantage of “teachable moments”- those unplanned opportunities that arise where you can explain or demonstrate something- an incredibly impactful way of learning for kids.  But we often fail to recognize that we are always teaching- even in those moments when we aren’t intending to do so.

Our precious kiddos are constantly watching what we do and say.  Sometimes this is a positive thing- sometimes this is a negative thing.  Sometimes they reflect our best traits, and at other times they are mirrors of our worst habits.  It is challenging to always be on the job.  But parenthood is a 24/7 commitment, so we must be vigilant.  The hours are demanding, but the benefits are incredible!

“Don’t worry that children never listen to you; worry that they are always watching you.”  ~Robert Fulghum