Keeping Modeling Moms, They Are Watching
My oldest Ella came home from school and was asking me for help with something. She needed me to make her a piece of paper with a drawing of a student and then do that same thing about 18 times. She was getting a little demanding and I was getting pretty frustrated.
“What is this for, Ella!?! Why 18? Why right now?” I said with a really mad tone.
I noticed the tears starting to well up.
She’s my tender one and I should know by now – that my frustration doesn’t help her, ever.
So, I calmed down and asked her to tell me more about this project she had in her head. She then explained.
“Well mom, it’s the end of the year. Catherine and I thought we could make something nice to thank Mrs. Schwalk. Catharine is doing one part and I am doing the other, but I need them all NOW!”
I finally understood and I was IN!
My sweet girl. My precious thoughtful Ella. She was doing what I have always asked her to do.
How many days of the week do I remind and prompt and beg and teach my girls:
Please look out for others.
Please be kind to one another.
Please do the right thing.
Please look for ways to love your friends.
Please respect your teacher.
I had a choice. To get frustrated with her bad timing or help her get it done. I helped her of course. And also didn’t miss the chance to tell her that I was BEYOND proud that she thought of this idea. I love her kind heart.
Do you ever get discouraged like me? We remind and prompt and remind and prompt to say “thank you” or do the right thing for years it seems?
These little moments of victory are so sweet. Don’t miss them.
Moms, these girls are listening and more importantly, they are watching, I pray that you will invite them into the game of loving others like Jesus. You can be the one to suggest it – even if it takes years. And one day, it’ll be their idea and your heart will swell up.
And remind them of the truth. They are good. They are kind. They are lovely girls. And they are making you so very proud. And Jesus proud.
They are doing something so right – probably every day. We are pouncing on the little stuff that is wrong. There is so much going right.
Courtney DeFeo is a popular blogger and creator of ABC Scripture Cards featured on “The View.” She is a graduate of Auburn University and has worked in marketing for Chick-fil-A. Courtney and her husband, Ron, are the parents of two children. To connect with Courtney, visit CourtneyDeFeo.com.
Check out Courtney’s brand new book called In This House We Giggle!*
In This House, We Will Giggle: Making Virtues, Love, and Laughter a Daily Part of Your Family Life* offers parents a practical approach to instilling virtues in their children through laughter, rather than lecture. Designed to cover an entire year, each of the 12 chapters highlights one key virtue in developing a child’s character, along with insights to help infuse the virtue into everyday life.
In This House, We Will Giggle* teaches children to experience the goodness of God, the joy of following Jesus and the difference children can make in the lives of others.
GIVEAWAY: Today we are giving away a copy of this awesome book! Just leave a comment and tell us what virtue you want to focus on first in the coming year! Share on social media once, twice, or ten times and give yourself an extra comment for each share! Winner will be chosen at random and notified via email. Giveaway ends Sunday, November 2, 2014!
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58 Comments
I need to work on patience and taking more time to enjoy the little things each day!!
Oh, we so need to giggle in my house. I have a tendency to be way too serious. My family needs to work on the virtue of kindness.
I would love to instill all the fruits of the spirit, in myself too
Self control. For all of us.
Patience. Thank you!!
Shared on Facebook. I also would like to work on Kindness and Gentleness. Especially in my girl.
virtue for the new year…Joy
Shared on facebook;)
working on self-control and kindness with all three of my kids!
shared on facebook!
shared on our facebook, moms cafe page!
selflessness
Tough to choose just one - but I think it would either have to be joy or patience.
Just shared on Facebook!
Our Virtue for the New Year would be Joy
Thanks for the chance to win!
The virtue of forgiveness. I struggle with this myself and fear I’m passing that weakness to my children. We need giggles! My daughter recently devastated me when she said to be, “mom, why don’t you ever laugh?”
Peace is a virtue I want to work on this upcoming year.
Need to work on patience - since having baby this has been lacking on my part
Thankfulness! I would love to read this book.
i would choose kindness.
working on soft tones and kind words
shared on facebook
shared on twitter
shared on pinterest
I need to work on patience.
I would like to work on gentleness.
Starting now and into next year we are focusing on thankfulness. My husband recently lost his job, and it is so easy to take things we have for granted. I want to focus on being thankful for even the little things in life. Thank you!
We need to work on kindness and self-control. I know that they are mirroring what they see - from parents, from schoolmates, from tv… In some instances, I see that these two are strongly linked, which is why I can’t choose just one.
Oh, man…patience and gentleness for Mom, self-control for kiddo
This book sounds fabulous! I want to work on compassion with my girls.
Shared on FB…and I need to work on patience
I also tweeted.
It’s hard to pick one virtue, but gratitude is high on my list. I want my daughters to appreciate all they have been blessed with; I believe that will overflow in kindness, generosity, and compassion to those around them.
Patience and self control!! Too often they go hand in hand
Gentleness I think cause it seems to encompass other virtues. When you’re gentle, you tend to have more patience and self control - I suppose it goes both ways though!
I want to grow the virtue of gentleness. It’s so easy as the mom to get stressed with the busy but I believe if I would slow down, be intentional and gentle things would become smoother.
You know, the few times when I do let loose and let them just goof off and we have silly pillow fights, etc…those are the times they really cherish, I want to do more of this! But of course to do that I will need more patience!
Patience. For me!
Kindness and respect!
Sweet gentleness…which I think will help bring more love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, thankfulness, and self control! I also love the video and the laughter at the end. Reminds me of my three gigglers!
shared on facebook
Forgiveness for myself and kindness for my kids.
Thankfulness & joy!
I need all of them-but joy and forgiveness leapt out to me most
Patience
I shared on twitter.
I also shared on Facebook.
I really need to get my patience under control. Im quick to assume. I have 5 children, 1 1/2, 5, 8, 13, 14… Its not easy but i alwAys feel guilty after an argument with the kids! I need more patience and more gentleness…
Gracious
I would love a copy of this book!
Just saw I was supposed to put a virtue to work on, patience is what I need to work on!
Kindness!
Kindness!
Respect with my two-year-old little man! Excited about this book! Loved the video.
Oh I would love to read this. My oldest is now 8 and my youngest of 4 is 8 months. I want all the help I can get when it comes to instilling Godly values and virtues into my sweet girls
We are working on kindness.
I need to work on patience and finding the positive instead of the negative. My kids just want my time and attention. Sometimes it is hard to give them that when there is so many other things going on.
[…] Today, I am so delighted to be over at Mothers of Daughters - and the topic? Kindness! Sharing a tale about how I snapped at my precious Ella - when she was finally doing what I taught her to do - thinking of others. There’s a giveaway too! Link here. […]