TIPS For Families

Children catch things! They catch a cold or the flu by being around others who are sick. They catch behaviors by being around parents, teachers and other role models. Children “catch” what they see lived! It’s tempting to tell children, “Do as a say, not as I do,” but parents cannot expect children to learn a behavior they don’t practice themselves!

Research shows that children retain less than 30% of what they are taught formally, but over 70% of what they see lived out by role models in their lives. How does this look in every day life?

Parents are teaching by what they do!  In the area of safety, 86% of parents wear safety belts, resulting in 91% of children wearing theirs. By contrast, 86% of parents say it is important for their children to wear life jackets, but only 39% of the parents wore theirs. What happens to the children? Only 57% wear life jackets. What safety behavior are you modeling?

Another study found that a large majority of youth ages 13 - 17 said their parents were their greatest influence when it came to making decisions about drinking. The example parents set, along with talking with their children to explain their beliefs, was key in the decisions their children made. Are you taking advantage of this opportunity to model and talk about these decisions with your children?

What are you teaching your children about food? Do you use food as a stress reliever? Do you eat out of boredom? Do you say that healthy eating is important, but model eating junk food or being a picky eater? Youth quickly learn by the example you set! Make the most of meals eaten together at home to model good food choices and to build relationships with your children. The payoff: better grades, less non-desirable behavior choices, and of course, better nutrition.

What attitudes have your children caught? Do you always expect them to win? Do you show prejudice towards people who are different from you? Do your children love to learn by seeing you learn new things?

Like it or not, parents, you are role models! Take inventory of the messages you are living in front of your children. You can be certain, they will be caught!

Give us your feedback by clicking on the TIPS Feedback Form link below and tell us how you used this information in your family.