SOAPBOX SUNDAY

Habits

Today my whole family ran a race.  I ran an adult race, and my husband ran with the kids in a pint-sized race.  The boys were so very excited to run today...they've been wanting to run in a race since my husband and I ran our first one a year ago.  They did a spectacular job, and the oldest is already planning his training schedule to run his first 5k.

This morning, before the race, I told the boys they needed to eat breakfast.  Boy #1 thought very carefully about what to eat, and when I asked him why, he replied that he wanted to make a good choice that would be healthy and give him lots of energy for his run.

I love this age, the age where my habits and activities interest my kids also.  Of course, they have their own interests, but at this point we as parents are deeply influential regarding what our kids want to spend their time doing.  It's a huge responsibility too, if you think about it.  I mean, bad habits are easily picked up. What I do and encourage them to do will shape them as they become adults.  And it won't be long before they don't want to do what I do, so I'd better make the most of it and cherish the time.

So, I ask myself, and I ask you, what will it be?  

Outdoor lover or inside stay-er?

Active or not?

TV watcher or book reader?

Solo or team sports?

Smoker or health nut?

Fast food or home cooking?

Traveler or homebody?

Everyone agrees these days that both nature and nurture play a role in the development of our children.  The question is, how much of each?  I don't know about you, but I'm not willing to take a chance that my influence doesn't matter much.  I'm going to act like it means the world.  

Because, in the end, it does.