“What you do speaks so loud that I cannot hear what you say” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

When you were a child, did you parents ever say to you: “Do as I say, not as I do“? What type of message did this send to you? In this week’s podcast, Jen and Leah talk about the importance of actually Practicing What You Preach. As parents, it is so very important to lead my example. You must be willing to ‘walk the walk’ if you ‘talk the talk’. Your children are always watching, and more importantly, learning by your example. They look up to you! By holding yourself to a high set of standards you are instilling those same standards in your children!

In coaching, we refer to this as your INTEGRITY. Your integrity is who you are when no one is looking. It is the set of standards that you abide by. In essence, it is your Personal Code of Ethics.

When we raise our standards and live within our integrity, believe it or not your life becomes less complex. Decisions become easier to make and you are doing what is right for you, and your children.

Another important aspect of living in integrity is that you know when you are wrong, and you are able to accept full responsibility for your actions. No more pointing fingers and placing blame on others. We are all humans, it is OK (and expected) when we occasionally err! By teaching this to your children, you are preparing them for a better future.

When we teach our children to live in integrity, we are also giving them powerful tools to guard against peer pressure. They have learned that it is OK to not *go along with the crowd*. When my mother wouldn’t let me do something (or go somewhere) with my friends, I would always ask her “Why can’t I go? Wendy is going!”

Her response to me would be something like:  “Well, if Wendy’s Mom let’s her jump off a bridge, does that mean I have to let you?”

Anyway, the point here is that your children need to learn that they are unique individuals, and not part of some mass herd. They are free to grow and evolve into unique, strong adults. And, if they have a good example to follow, your task becomes easier.

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