"Time OUT, Mommy!"

I let Zoe pick out her own cereal and she chose the neon colored swirly Trix.  Well, she wanted to eat them morning, noon, and night; and nothing else.  So I made a rule that we could only have them for breakfast, and only one bowl.  After dinner she asked for a bowl and I shared with her the new rule about her cereal.  "No cereal until breakfast time."  She tried demanding it.  "Cereal.  NOW."  I held my ground.  "Mommy, time out! In one....two...three.  Time OUT!  I'm too heavy to carry you," as she points to the time-out chair on the verge of tears.  Jake and I on the other hand were on the verge of tears because of holding back our laughter.

It was so funny to watch her imitate me and try to put me in time out.  But like so many other times she has imitated me it has made me stop and think.  Is this what I sound like?  Is this the impression I want to make on my daughter?  Are the ways in which I react toward her the way I would like her to react toward others and myself?  While parents (and people who aren't parents) debate about parenting methods until they are blue in the face, I think everyone would probably agree that the best way to teach a child is through modeling.  If there was only one piece of advice I could give to any parent it would be to be, do, and say the things you want your child to emulate, and definitely do NOT be, do, or say those things you would not be proud of.  Having a toddler is like looking in a mirror that shows you the true self you never saw.  It's a bit funny, and a bit sobering all at the same time.

And because every post is better with a picture.  Here's my Zoe having (herbal) tea time with Mommy.