What example are you teaching your children?

Last week while I was sitting outside at a café, I noticed a family arrive. A mum, dad and a young boy aged around 4. The parents sat at the opposite ends of the table and looked away from each other. The young boy was full of excitement - he found toys and lego at the café for children to play with.

He tried to interact with his parents. They responded to him at times without making eye contact. There was tension in the air.  He would flaps his arms to try and get their attention - Mama, Dada. The father finally relented and begrundingly helped the young lad build a train track. The father made the comment in a loud whisper to himself "god, I'm going to hate building this thing".

While this was happening the mother continued to gaze away. Her body so tense. Parents have their off days - they are only human but something told me that this was an ordinary day for this family. The boy fighting for his parents attention, and the parents fighting between themselves.

Without any awareness they are influencing the young boy on his social skills, his body language and the ability to make eye contact - and when he doesn't get the attention he deeply craves he needs to act out.

As human beings we only do what we are capable of. What our own family and parents taught us. This is why self awareness and understanding is vital in breaking these behaviour patterns. To set a new template and way of being in the world for our future generations. So they can start of life with strong foundations, communication skills and a inner self love.

From this place - when parents have their off days (which is only natural!) the children have a strong connection with the foundations of life that it won't severely impact them - as the parents have set a really good example of what it means to live with love, strong communication skills and a strong emotional well-being.