Little Eyes are Watching

Little Eyes are Watching


I have been thinking about this blog post for a couple weeks, but I decided this morning it was very appropriate for what is going through many of our minds and hearts about now. While working around the house at Christmastime we often leave on the channel with all of the country music. They had a special where they interview Reba McIntire in between playing her videos.

While interviewing Reba, they discussed the issue of role models. She said that, from back in the time when she played basketball in school, the coach had had a sign posted on the mirror in the locker room, which said “Little Eyes are Watching.” This was to remind each of the members of the team that little ones watched their every move, and how they carried themselves. That, like it or not, they were role models and were expected to behave as such. This certainly struck a chord with me.

Often times we hear people say things like “I never asked to be a role model,” or “being a role model is the parents’ job not mine.” But what we do each day, every action and reaction is seen by the little ones around us. Little ones are around us, watching how we prepare for the day, how we stay on track, handle traffic, and handle joys and disappointment, and how we treat those around us. We cannot simply complain about the state of the world we live in. We have to lead by example to create the positive community we want to be a part of- the better world we would wish to leave for them.

Did someone make you late, cut you off in traffic, say something unkind or out of line? Did you let it hurt you or anger you, or did you have the presence of mind and resiliency to respond with kindness and a reminder to yourself that we all have our days? Some days we don’t respond the way we know we wish we would have. Do we admit that? Do we accept our imperfection and discuss our own goals for ourselves openly and honestly? (This part, by the way, is proven to help us achieve more of our goals).

So I tried to help the kids learn what was good in the intent of some of those I was uncomfortable with in dealings over the weekend. And I explained what we should expect of ourselves in the morals we ascribe to. And I let them watch a little coverage of the national event that happened here while we were at football and poultry to figure out what the real story was of what had happened, as opposed to the hearsay of the whispers at the events, then turned the TV off and went back to working our chores. I answered questions honestly and pointed out that there are crazy people in all walks of life, that we have to choose to spend our time with people who have the same values as us, (though not always the same views) and work to be people we can be proud of.

Sometimes I do a better job of that than others. I am still working on it. We all are. But maybe with the little eyes watching, they will hold my feet to the fire, and learn to forgive themselves on their own road to being goo role models. I don’t know. But I know it is worth a try.

Little eyes really are watching. Let’s teach them well, so that they may really have a better world. Or at least that’s my vote.