I hear my oldest child (3 year old daughter) say “I’ll pretend I’m Mommy” to her little brother and my heart jumps sinks.

I know what she’s saying. She’s saying ‘let’s play house’, or ‘I’ll be the Mommy and you be the baby’.

What I’m hearing every time she mimics me is my tone of voice, or my impatience, or my frustration, or my…..need I go on?

I see it in her eyes. I hear it in her tone. She’s practicing to be a Mommy and I am the role model she’s following after. Sure, she tells her babies and her brother that she loves them, but she still has that ‘look’ in her eyes when she says it. That look of ‘I DO love you but I am also upset with you right now’. OUCH!

Our children take notice of everything we say and do, as well as the way we react to situations or circumstances. They can’t help it. They’re like little sponges soaking up every ounce of water that was spilled in its way.

My children love to play pretend. Right now their biggest game of pretend is pretending to be someone else. Sometimes it absolutely drives me crazy! Can’t they just be themselves? Can’t I just be me? We pretend we’re the cashier at Walmart, or the lady in the post office, or the doctor, or the waitress from the restaurant, all in a day’s time.

What scares me is that these people are not necessarily thinking of the fact that my child is taking notice of everything they say in front of her nor the attitude they’re saying it with.

On the other hand, I do realize and am aware of the fact that she’s noticing these same things in my life, and yet I fail her. Daily.

Thankfully God’s grace is sufficient. His mercies are renewed every morning and I can find forgiveness each time I fail if I’ll humble myself and ask Him for it. It’s also a really good idea to acknowledge your faults and/or sins to your children and ask for their forgiveness.

Mothers, the children God has placed in your care, the ones that don’t let you go to the restroom in private, the ones that leave sticky fingerprints on your walls, the ones that keep you awake at night because they’ve had a bad dream…..they want to be just like you!

They are grown ups in training and you are their trainer.

Make every moment count and count every moment. Don’t take one second for granted. If you’ve played the same game over and over until you feel that you’ll scream if its mentioned again, just play it anyway. Tomorrow that child may be too big to play that same game.

While your children are watching and learning from you, do your best. You won’t get it right every time, but do try. God’s grace is sufficient enough to help you through the hardest days or the worst attitudes.

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