Dear Friends,
Parents may be their child’s first teacher, but I often find it challenging to model good behaviors for my children. This was made abundantly clear last week when my two-year-old son, Bennett, asked me, “Daddy, why you say f#%k?” It was right after I had accidentally knocked a new container of wipes into the toilet while cleaning Bennett after he had gone to the bathroom. (Why the wipes were there in the first place is a whole other story. As we learned several years ago when they wreaked havoc on the Children’s Museum’s septic system…wipes should never be flushed down the toilet.)
While I realize that toddlers are constantly observing their parents, it’s jarring when your child imitates you or repeats what you’ve said when you’re not expecting it. I thought I was doing a good job of censoring myself around Bennett, but based on how many times he asks me, “why you say [insert “bad word” here], I am clearly not.
I am also surprised when Bennett picks up on my inflection or tone of voice. Recently, he was riding in the car with me when I got exasperated at another driver and grumbled, “My friend, did you really need to pull right out in front of me?!” (I talk a lot while driving.) After we arrived home, Bennett told my wife that during the ride, “Daddy was mad at his friend.”
Especially as a new parent, I think it’s easy to forget that children soak up everything they see and hear. Having your toddler repeat your swear words can be a humorous—and potentially uncomfortable—reminder. If your child has imitated something you did that you didn’t expect, I invite you to e-mail me or share it with us on Facebook or Twitter.
Sincerely,
Steve