Jake and Trisha playing pretend on a phone
“Hello, Mr. Pretend are you there? Yes, it’s Trisha and Jake! Yep we are here how are you doing today? We are great. Thanks for calling! Have a great day and we will call ya back tomorrow.”
I love listening to my children talk on the phone to Mr. Pretend. Grandpa started it years ago. He carries on a conversation with Mr. Pretend and then gives the phone to the child to have their own conversation. I am sure your kids love to pretend that they are talking on the phone like they see you do it. Children are so funny to watch when they pretend to be like us. It makes me more aware of how I act on the phone, it’s just plain funny.
Our children imitate us because they want to be like us. To this day if I ask my 8 year old daughter what she wants to be when she grows up she says, “I want to be just like you mom.” I take that as high praise.
Do we as moms show our children how we pray? Do we talk to them about our faith? Do we take them to our church with us? Do we try to live the way we believe?
It is awkward to talk to your children about your faith if you have never done it before. You have to remember that your child thinks that you are the best person in the world so they will not judge you. Your children will listen to you and want to learn from you. Who do you want to teach your children about God, about praying, about values? Yes, it’s nice to have those “educated” in religion teach our children, the correct information. But it’s not just information if it comes from Mom. If your child sees you pray, your child will pray. If your child goes to Church with you they will understand it is a priority in your life. If your child sees you treat others with love and respect they will imitate those actions as well.
Think about how you pray, what you believe, about your faith in God and what you want your child to learn. They cannot learn what you do not teach. If you want your child to learn start showing them by doing it, not as an act but for real. Talk to your child about how you pray, break it down to a level they will understand. Talk to your child about your basic beliefs. Let your child see you pray and then pray with them.
Then someday instead of picking up the phone to talk to Mr. Pretend you may hear your child talking to God. Hey God it’s me, yep I am here. I am doing great. Hope your doing great. Talk to you tomorrow.
Great Article! I was telling a friend of mine the other day, “if you want to know what someone thinks about watch how their children treat you.”
Blessing and Peace