motherhood, Thinking out loud

Leading by example- Teaching our kids to do better by being better

My kiddo loves helping out especially with the household chores but not because I taught him that, but because he saw me doing it and wanted a piece of the action even if it was just taking the laundry to the washing machine. Honestly, I let him help out to keep him occupied… because how much can you play all day…not every minute can be educational nor can it be quality time right! Also, this way I can get a few things done too while keeping him entertained( even though the task sometimes can be worse off than before it started)

I think leading by example is the best way to teach something, isn’t it. My kiddo loves water and wants to wash his hands all day and sanitize too (unfortunately the pandemic has bought about this habit of constantly sanitizing which has become all fun and games for naïve toddlers). I just used the empty sanitizer spray bottle, filled it with water and let him water the plants. Win, win right ! you can’t really over water the plants with a spray bottle and also he get to sanitize sans alcohol.

“Watering the plant” chore is done, yea! so I thought. He managed to unscrew the bottle and overwater the plants spilling muddy water everywhere. Kids always find a way to complicate things…so even though he did water the plants, he touched the soil (to check whether it was wet) and spray washed his hand and touched the soil and sprayed his hand again…went on repeat for a while till he was covered in wet mud…huh…what was I thinking.

Apart from this he noticed that after I wash my hands I use the towel to wipe them off, so out of the blue he goes “napki de doe” (give napkin). Unconsciously he’s picking up on our habits…good or bad. Every time he sees me gnawing at my nails he puts his big toe or his hand in his mouth…( I got to watch what I am doing around him now)

He doesn’t pick up his toys after playing most of the time but when he sees me picking up the pieces he comes to help( only to spill em again but still the effort counts ) then on somedays he will actually put the toy back from where he picked it up which makes me feel so proud.

Kids imitate the best and the worst so a great way for them to learn is by observing ( and practicing ofcourse) and the best way to teach is not by preaching but leading by example et al.


This blog post is part of the blog challenge ‘Blogaberry Dazzle’ hosted by Cindy D’Silva and Noor Anand Chawla.

This post is a part of the Blogchatter Half Marathon 2021, wherein 10 posts are to be completed between 15th and 30th June.

The content of this post is © and belongs to Raunica Kaur Baweja. Any reproduction or refurbishment as a part or whole without consent will be considered infringement and will call for strict legal action.

29 thoughts on “Leading by example- Teaching our kids to do better by being better”

  1. Kids learn things what they see us doing. And with your examples you have explained it more better.

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  2. I totally agree. Kids follow what they see. Even though we are not aware they pick up on our small habits and make them their. The best way to educate them with better values and habits is to do them ourselves. Loved your bottle idea!

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  3. I can totally relate. I have a toddler in my house who is already started copying my makeup and hairstyle. I agree leading by example is the best way to teach something. Lovely post.

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  4. I can totally relate. I have a toddler in my house who already started copying my makeup and hairstyle. I agree leading by example is the best way to teach something. Lovely post.

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  5. It’s very important to do good activities at home because kids use to follow our skills and words… They observe us and copy our habits.

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  6. So very true….leading by example works well in all fields of our lives. We have heard of many a workshops and courses for leaders talk of this aspect umpteen number of times. And kids who learn by seeing the right habits and values grow up independent, sure of themselves, firmly grounded in values and the right-wrong comes absolutely easily to them. What a wonderful and cute way for the watering and yes, yes they can think of amazingly newer angles to everything.

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  7. I agree with you completely. Loved the watering pot concept and how kiddo watched your actions to start his own. Great way educate them.

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  8. So true! Kids learn the things we teach them way faster than what we show them, as kids are excellent imitators. The biggest challenge of parenting is to watch our every deed and every words.

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  9. Haha… The beginning of the article made me think that the kiddo is actually helping you seriously!
    Yes, kids learn by watching adults and not by long lectures. What we do sets an example for them.

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  10. Lol! I love the ‘watering the plants’ fiasco. Yes…children pick up on everything we say and do and how we treat others. Important to understand this if we want to set a example for them.

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  11. Kids have great observational power. So we should not take anything for granted. They do imitate elders so good parenting includes doing right thing in front of them. This is a process , kids will learn the right things just we need to be patient and be the role model.

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  12. Raunica, I completely agree that kids do imitate elders and the way we behave. Everytime we cannot engage them in some or the other play activities and by doing the household chores kids are learning a life skill that is important too. Yes initial stages maybe difficult but later on everything will be smooth.

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  13. Ohhh this teach by example is a uphill task…as they grow up they imitate everything…the way you talk, how you emote, how you handle problems…its hard work to be your ideal self but when u have such a strong mirror…thats a big motivation…

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  14. Monkey see, monkey do. Small children look up to parents as guides. And how the parents behave is reflected in the children. Your kid is adorable. Love reading about the shenanigans.

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  15. I love what toddlers do. Love the way you share your kids activities 🙂 They are like parrots…they repeat what we say and they are like monkeys when they copy our actions. Parents really have to set the right example for the kids to copy them.

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  16. I completely agree. Children copy what the parents do. And parents need to be careful about what kind of an example they set. Good habits begin at home.

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  17. I agree with you completely. Kids are like monkeys, make sure we give a better option to imitate and when we teach something they won’t do it but like you said, we have to lead by example and then they follow 🙂

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  18. This is what I believe in and I keep telling everyone around. That what you do, your child learns from you. You must do good things and make an example for them so that they can learn good things and add value in others lives. This is how they will make a better tomorrow. A lovely post.

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