Mini ‘youz’ and mini ‘mez’

Our children are more like us than we want to admit. Although they get in trouble for undesirable behavior, if you look at them closely you’ll see your own behavior reflected in them. The only difference is that as adults we’re able to conceal it.

For instance, my middle daughter always huffs and puffs when it’s time to get ready for and go to bed. She says she wants to stay up and doesn’t like going to bed. Then in the morning she’s the hardest to wake up. I have to literally sit her up and pull her to her feet, OR tap her little bottom. Hmmm… funny, ‘cause I stall going to bed as well. I have an inward pout when I need to go to bed, but want to watch a show that’s coming on too late. I may even slam something down, harder than I should, when I don’t get to finish something that I wanted to do before bedtime.

When I have to get up in the morning, I hit the snooze button about five or more times (on my alarm clock and my cell phone)  and complain within my head that I hate getting up. It’s two months into the school year and I’m already past tired of getting up in the morning. I through the covers back in annoyance and begin my day. Of course, by this time, I’m running a little late. Funny, ‘cause if I leave the children to their own devices they would move so slowly that they’d miss their entire lives.

All of my children, including the oldest who’s now 20, throws their clothes on the ground when they don’t feel like putting them where they belong. My son doesn’t do it as often as the girls and puts his clothes in the hamper mostly without being prompted. I, on the other hand, keep my room straight, clean and organized for weeks on end and then I get extremely tired, overwhelmed, under the weather or anything in between… What happens then? My clothes end up in a pile on the floor. Well, at least they’re all in one pile. *eyebrows raised, innocent face*

There are the toys they need to pick up, but they keep walking by them as if they don’t exist. In the kitchen, there are a bunch of dishes that need to be washed. I’m sure it’s them who walks by the dishes as well. There are two baskets of clean clothes to put away, two loads to wash and one to dry, but I keep putting if off until later. And in the children’s rooms there are bunches of stuff that need to be put in place.

Any of this sound familiar?

We look at our children and we see the similarities in our mannerisms, the color of their skin and hair, the way they walk or say a certain word. But that’s all good, right? LOL

I don’t know that I plan on changing any of these little… uh… episodes, but maybe I can remember that when my children are being reprimanded for one of those similar, unsavory behaviors. Maybe it’ll give the kids a little stay of execution and a little more piece around these parts.

What of your personality or traits do you see in your children?