Parent Taught!

Today I got to thinking about some of the things we have inadvertently taught our girls. That whole "nature vs. nurture" definitely isn't in question. This is ALLLLL nuture. Whether they are just a funny little habits or expectations, they are without a doubt things that can be traced directly back to me or Kerry. (I can definitely trace some of my idiosyncracies back to my parents too. As you read these, think about the ones you can trace to yours!

Everything has a plan.  Yep. I'm guilty. It started when Gracey was a baby and I read that book "Baby Wise" about scheduling. Everything we did with her involved a schedule and a plan. As she got older, as Sadie came along, and as our lives got busier, I got to where I'd start every day/event/vacation with an announcement. "Ok, girls, here's the plan...." They seem to be pretty good at doing things on the fly, but you can almost always expect one of them to ask "So, Mommy, what's the plan?" Sadie will often start listing things off as she looks for the order in which things will be happening. 

"Thank You" Our girls say thank you for EVERYTHING. If we get them a glass of water, pass them the remote control or buy them a gift, they offer thanks. It warms my heart every time I hear it. No, they don't have to thank me for buying them shoes or paying for their school supplies. It's part of the job. But they do it EVERY time. And this one Kerry and I are truly proud of; because, while we know that we made an effort to teach them to be polite, we didn't realize how well we'd done it. (I see this in some of the girls' really good friends too. It's a sign of excellent parenting, if I do say so myself. So pat yourself on the back if your kids do it too.) 

Sing in the Car. Did you sing with your kids when they were little? Do you still? Because the minute the girls here a great song on the radio, they start belting the words out and often dancing in their seats. It's something we've just always done. If it isn't music in the car, it's music in the house. Can't sing well? Who cares?! Sing anyway! Because if you are hanging out with us, you won't be able to contain yourself!

Festival? Sign Me Up! We love festivals and farmer's markets. Seriously love them. I'm not sure either of the girls will ever be able to pass one up. It doesn't matter what kind or where. They will even ask if there's one going on when we start planning a trip. They love theme parks too - but I honestly think they might pick a festival or market over a theme park!

I'm sure there are a million more...but those are the ones that come to mind right off the bat! (And I won't even get into the whole pet thing....we all know what pet fanatics we are around here!)