Mom Seriously: The Power of Your Silent Example

Early on in my journey as a mom, I learned the power of my silent example.

It was a warm day, and my children and I were getting ready to go to church for Bible study. They would be spending time playing with their friends on the sunny playground, and I would be in a chilly, air-conditioned classroom. I froze every week, so on this particular morning, I decided to dressed in jeans and a long-sleeved shirt.

As we were walking out the door, I noticed that my three kids (8 and under at the time) were dressed in jeans and long sleeves. “Hey, everybody,” I said. “What gives? It’s still summer.”

“We just looked to see what you were wearing,” my son replied. “We figured it must be cold today.”

Never was the power of my example so sharply felt. I explained to the kids about my chilly classroom and let them change their clothes before we left. But this powerful lesson pierced my heart: They’re watching me, even when I’m not aware of it. They are doing what they see me do.

So how does this apply to the afternoon crunch? If I can set the example every afternoon of being calm, cool, and Christ-like, it will encourage them to do the same. But if I lose my temper in traffic, fuss about how late we are, and then fume because I didn’t make any plans for dinner, I’m not only setting a poor example, I’m setting a tone for the whole evening. And it’s the wrong one!

Proverbs 14:1 offers these wise words: “Every wise woman builds her house, but a foolish one tears it down with her own hands.” The afternoon crunch can be a time of tearing down, or it can be a time of building.

You can build stronger relationships with your kids by listening to them.
You can create an environment that urges your children to connect with each other.
You can establish a safe haven by simply letting Christ use you to not only mother but minister to your kids.

Ask for His help in the traffic, in the kitchen, and in the middle of the afternoon crunch.