The Family Parrot

I am starting to see that as much as children hate to turn into their parents, parents cringe when they start to see some of their behaviors showing up in their offspring. Perhaps it has more to do with realizing you, yourself have behaviors that you wish were a little more friendly. Have you ever noticed your actions change slightly when your stuck in front of a mirror? Not sure what I'm talking about? Let me give you an example...

While I'm in here checking emails and reading friends' blogs, my son Corban just yelled, "Mom! You get back in here and clean this up!" A saying that is surely one of mine. What mess he thinks is mine, I still haven't gone to check.

Or how 'bout the time I had some neighbors visiting and Corban grabs me by the chin to turn my head to look at him and says, "Look at my eye. I'm serious, okay! I. Am. Hungry!" ...So, I guess when I'm serious I must feel like I need their undivided attention. (I have to admit, it was a little hard to not giggle when he told me to look at his eye.)

The worst is when your three year old reveals your ways of discipline. In front of friends. You know; the things you say when you're trying to stop a fight, or trying to make sure they understand that their behavior is out of line? The key phrases that Corban so willingly uses on his own siblings, OR Brandon and me are, "You want me do dat t'you?" "D'you like it?" and to always make sure things are clear, "D'you unnerstand?!?"

Our family parrot is working diligently to keep me in check. Not only for sparing unkind things said to my kids, but also for my own security of less public humiliation.