09/18/2026
Before you correct that behavior in your child, make sure they aren't learning it from you.
Kids don't do what we say. They do what we show them. That tone you're correcting? They've heard it before — from you, on a hard day, when you thought they weren't paying attention. That temper, that door slam, that silent treatment — it has a source, and sometimes the source is standing right in front of them giving the lecture.
This isn't about guilt. It's about honesty. Parenting has a way of holding up a mirror we didn't ask for, showing us the parts of ourselves we haven't healed yet, reflected right back through a five-year-old's behavior.
You can correct without hypocrisy. You can teach without pretending you've never struggled with the same thing. Sometimes the most powerful lesson isn't "don't do that" — it's "I used to do that too, and here's what I'm doing differently now."
Our children are always watching, even when we're not performing. Make sure what they're copying is something you'd be proud to see reflected back.