Always Watching

I was sitting outside on our porch, reviewing a few more things for my book and working on my laptop.

My 7 year-old MC comes outside with a notebook and her kit of markers. "I'm going to join you,okay?" she said.

"Sure. There's room."

She plops down in a chair and spreads her supplies on the circular table. "I'm writing a story today. So, I think I should write about each of the different people first."

"Great. That's called a character sheet," I said.

MC smiled. "Yes! That! That's what I'm doing. We're writers Mom, so we write stuff. I got stories to get down."

As I stifled a giggle, I asked, "What is your story about?"

"Well, I need to figure out the names first and what they like to do before I get to the story."

"Good idea."

For the next few minutes, she is quiet and scribbling, I get back to my work, and we both enjoy the warm, stiff breeze on our porch and the medieval music her older sister is testing from inside the house

Suddenly, MC asks me how to spell a litany of places, names, and other words. All concentration for my stuff is out the window as I pass a clipboard with paper on it over to her to show her the words. (She remembers it better when she sees it spelled out correctly.) I don't mind.

Over the next few minutes, we discuss her story. The wind picks up and her notebook pages blowing get to her. "Well, time to go back inside. You can be out here because your computer is not blowing around. Hey. Can I type up my story when I finish this first draft?" (Yes, she used the words "first draft.")

"Absolutely," I reply.

"Great," she said. "We can have a writing club, Mommy. Thanks for your help." She happily picks up her stuff and retreats inside.

I laugh and start to write this post because this is too cute. Two minutes later, MC comes out of the house from the sliding glass doors and back onto the porch. "I need to clear my head, so I'm taking a walk out here." She walks and looks around, caught up in her own thoughts. After two minutes, she sighed and said, "Yup. That's what I needed. Time to get back to work." She went back inside with a wide smile on her face.

So, here is the thing that hit me. Our children are watching us all the time. You can talk about virtue and behaving well all you want, but if your actions are the opposite, guess what your children will do? They will follow how you act, how you talk to them, and how you talk to others. That is a guarantee. This little exchange this afternoon was a good reminder for me, that, as Roz from Monster's, Inc. said, kids are "Watching. Always watching."

Lately, social media has become really nasty, I hope people are not speaking of others with different beliefs and thoughts and/or ideas with such harsh words and condemnation front of their children. If we want to improve the world, we need to start with our own behavior around the young ones.

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Have a lovely day!