Teaching something you don't do

[Jonathan]

I know that teaching by examples are still the best. I am curious if any of you have ever had to teach your children something you don't do yourself.

 

[Timothy]

I'm trying to teach my son to be less picky about food than I am. I'm very selective about the foods I'll eat (and not in that health-food-nut kind of way, either) so my wife and I are trying to introduce our son to a wide variety of foods, in the hopes that he'll have a broader palette than I have. It's hard to do though, because I'm trying to get him to eat foods that I won't eat!

 

[Victor Leigh]

Yes, I do. I will preface it with something like "Now don't make the same mistakes that I made..." Most of the time, though, I teach them what I already know. I am in the computer field. So far, two of my children are already established in the computer business as well.

 

[Jonathan]

Yes, I do. I will preface it with something like "Now don't make the same mistakes that I made..."

I think it is a great idea and doable. At what age you think a kid can accept that their parents are not perfect, that they can also make mistakes?

 

[Jack]

I admit that I am something of a couch potatoe, so I'm always pointing them in the direction of doing something physically active. In the process, it gets me off the couch!

 

[Enrique]

I know that teaching by examples are still the best. I am curious if any of you have ever had to teach your children something you don't do yourself.

I always tell my kids not to yell at each other when they're fighting and just talk things over. However, I am guilty of yelling when I get into an argument with people Totally defeats the purpose. I know it's something I need to constantly work on.

 

[Betterman]

I don't think I will be teaching my son something I don't know. However, I will offer the opportunity for him to learn or for us to learn it together.

 

[Ifamily]

Well, I am known to be of the type of person who will do something "because someone has to do it". I would encourage the kids to do what they really want to do.

 

[Sinbian]

Of course because sometimes you need to prepare your children for certain situations that, God forbid, may happen to your family and there is no way to simulate them, but it is good to prepare for them.

 

[Michael]

I do have a temper, and I don't always control it when I'm working in my shop. I don't get angry and yell at people, but I do sling things around a bit out in the building. It's my turf, so I have always gotten out my frustrations there. I'm trying to teach my daughter not to pick up this particular habit of mine.

 

[Miller]

The yardstick I measure my children's progress is not the same yardstick I use on my own self. We have to adapt to fit the age, the situation and the degree of whatever infraction we are addressing.