Always Watching and Learning

As a parent, I teach my daughters a lot. I know I teach them a lot more good than bad, but I also try to be aware of the fact that they are always watching and listening, and because of this, they may be picking up some bad habits too. If I have a bad attitude, then that may be reflective on my daughters, so I really try to watch this around them. I hope when my daughters get older, they've absorbed 100% of all the good stuff from Lora and me and 0% of the bad stuff, but I know that won't happen. The important thing for me to do is to always be aware of it, and keep trying.

One thing I read early on in Presley's life was that if you always tell your kids that they are smart, they will always believe they are smart, but if they run into a problem they can't solve, they will shut down and stop trying out of frustration. The article suggests to compliment them on how hard of a worker they are instead. I'm sure I have taken this to an extreme, but I've often times told Presley and Paxten, "you're such a smart, pretty, hard-working girl," and I always tell them to "try harder" when they say they can't do something. I was especially proud the other day when Paxten was trying to put her socks on, and she said, "can't do it," and then Presley said, "try harder Paxie."

Finally, some of the stuff you teach them isn't good or bad, but it's just life. Last night after dinner Presley wanted an oatmeal pie, and so I told her she could have one, but that I was eating pudding with peanut butter. I told her she would think if was yummy, so I'd give her a bite. So I opened up a package of chocolate pudding and put it on one side of a bowl, and then got a scoop of peanut butter and put it on the other side of the bowl, and then I'd mix a bit of each together and take a bite. I let Presley and Paxten try it, and I gave Paxten all she wanted because she did not have an oatmeal pie, but Presley knew she could only have a few bites because she wanted the oatmeal pie. So after about a minute Presley asked for another bite, and then a bit later, she asked for a "tiny bite," and then a bit later, she asked for "just one more bite." While Lora and I were sitting there talking Presley was sitting at the table after these countless number of bites, and then all of the sudden Presley said, "Daddy- that's really good." Lora and I cracked up, and of course, she got another bite.

I love my two clay daughters that I'm constantly molding! (I would like to add that I don't believe in 100% nurture because I believe nature is a big part of them too. Of course, that nature comes from Lora or me or one of our family members.)

Here are all of my girls coloring together. Well, except Cady, she's not coloring.