Modeling and Mini Me's

I couldn't help but smile as I watched our granddaughter Hadley put her mom and dad “to sleep” and keep them asleep with her gentle nudging and continued patting.

She is focused, precise, and enjoying her responsibility while her parents are torn between compliance and laughing out loud.

It is a striking example of the power of modeling. Hadley has seen adults soothing, encouraging, and supporting young ones at her day care’s naptime, and we assume she has been the recipient of many back rubs and gentle head placements. 

We’re sure Hadley’s teachers aren’t aware of their influence, or that they are being imitated in our home. They didn’t set out to teach their little ones how to help each other get to sleep. It is a powerful reminder that although we are intentional about the content we teach, we are modeling much more in our classrooms every second of the day, and children pay attention.

Are we kind? Respectful? Is our sense of humor intact? Do we hang in there when the day is tough? Do we value and admit our mistakes? Do we appreciate the uniqueness of each person in the room? 

We are being scrutinized. No matter what we say, students see who we really are by what we do. It is a weighty responsibility. But it is our hope that, just as we are thrilled if students share what we taught them when they get home, we would be equally delighted if they emulated how we treat them.