Walking the Walk as Parents of Preschoolers

As parents we like watching our kids do activities. The preschool years are especially fun because our littles are just getting to the age to play a sport or take a class. They play soccer like a herd of cats and we love watching. T-ball is played and we watch them and then break out the snacks. If it’s a dance recital, we get there extra early to secure that right spot to observe our little darlings in action (not to mention we need to record it all to share on social media). We love to watch them, and that is the right thing to do. There comes a time, though, when we all realize that we are not just watching them…they are watching us, too.

The reality that we are being watching usually comes as a shock when we hear them utter some unique phrase that we regularly say or that special tone of voice we use in certain circumstances. For me, it was a verbal exchange between my wife Terri and our son when he was little. Terri addressed that our son was speaking to her in a particular tone of voice. He said in response, “But mom you talk to me in that tone.” They are watching, and they are listening.

As parents we are under their microscope. They watch us during those times when we least expect them to… always. This is especially true in the preschool years. We are the first example of social skill interaction our kids have. They will imitate us. That is humbling. How we talk about the person driving who just cut us off in traffic matters. How we react toward a situation where some injustice happened to us (or our kids) matters. How we follow established guidelines matters. Do our actions communicate to our kids that rules are OK for others, but optional for us? They are watching.

When Paul wrote to the church at Ephesus from a Roman jail he urged them…to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called… (Eph. 4:1). As followers of Christ and as parents, we have a high calling. We need to be aware of our walk, how we live our lives, and what we present to our kids, as well as others around us, both believers and non-believers. They are watching.