How to Walk Your Talk: Practicing What We Preach in Parenting and Personal Growth

In my previous blog (check it out here if you missed it), we explored the humorous contradiction of being excellent advice dispensers to others while often ignoring that same advice in our own lives. Here are some playful yet effective tips on how we might actually start taking our own advice and begin to bridge the gap between what we say and what we do. We'll tackle this in two parts; first, addressing the hypocrisy in parenting advice, and secondly, embracing self-love and acceptance.

1. Lead by Snack Example: If you set a rule against snacking before dinner, try to abide by it yourself. If that proves too challenging, why not prepare a healthy snack tray for the whole family? This way, you turn a sneaky habit into a communal pre-dinner treat!

2. Room for Improvement: Champion clean rooms by scheduling a weekly tidy-up session for everyone, yourself included. Make it fun with music and playful challenges, transforming it from a chore into a delightful family activity.

3. Honesty Hour: Instead of fibbing about the park being closed or the ice cream truck running out of treats, share the real reasons—whether it’s sticking to a budget, making healthier choices, or needing to head home for dinner. This not only fosters honesty but also teaches the reasoning behind decisions.

4. Anti-Procrastination Pact: Demonstrate diligence with your tasks. Let your children see you handling responsibilities promptly. Consider starting a family “procrastination jar,” where everyone contributes a small amount for each delayed task, and use the collected funds for a fun family outing.

5. Unified Front on Screen Time: Apply the same screen time rules to yourself that you set for your kids. No phones or tablets at the dinner table and designated screen-free times for everyone, encouraging more interaction and setting a positive example.

6. Consistent Bedtimes: Just as children benefit from regular bedtimes, so do adults. Lead by example by adhering to your own bedtime, promoting good sleep habits and demonstrating the value of rest.

By implementing these strategies, you might find that not only do your children adopt better habits, but your own routines and well-being could improve as well!

Moving to personal growth in self-love and acceptance, here are some strategies to consider:

1. Practice Mindful Awareness: Recognize when you're dispensing advice that you yourself overlook. Keeping a journal can help you track these moments and understand why you might struggle to follow your own wisdom.

2. Set Realistic Goals: Rather than lofty advice, set attainable and specific goals for yourself. For example, if you advise a friend to save money, set a clear savings goal for yourself as well.

3. Create Accountability: Share your objectives with a friend or family member who can hold you accountable. Just as you support your friends, allow them to help you stay on track.

4. Embrace Self-Compassion: Understand that perfection is unattainable. When you falter, treat yourself with the same kindness you'd offer a friend, which can help keep you motivated.

5. Align Actions with Advice: Before giving advice, pause to consider if it's something you truly practice. This reflection can help make your advice more authentic and your actions more consistent.

6. Learn from the Process: Note how it feels and what outcomes arise each time you successfully follow your own advice. These positive experiences can reinforce your behavior and spur ongoing improvement.

Implementing these strategies can gradually help you live up to the sage advice you so readily give, effectively narrowing the gap between what you say and what you do. Now, if I can just muster the courage to take my own sage advice, I’ll be on my way to proving that I can indeed practice what I preach! AND don’t be too hard on yourself if you don’t always follow your own advice or make the best choices. Focus on being self-aware and learning from the experience.