It’s fun to watch our children grow, isn’t it? They’re developing, learning, and experiencing the world in their own unique way. Or, in my case, not-such unique ways.
Something that I’ve noticed Olivia doing a lot more of is acting just like me. I wish I could say that I love it, but as much as I think it’s adorable, it’s terrifying.
Sure, there are plenty of tender moments. For example, she enjoys “dressing up” with me in the mornings as I get ready for work. She wants to put on my heels and walk around just like mommy. She stares at me in awe as I put on my makeup (just like I did with my mother) and waits for me to “powder her nose.” I love the way she scrunches her nose as the brush strokes her little cheeks. Obviously, it’s pretend makeup, but she looks at herself in the mirror and says, “Wow!” Yes, wow. Such a cliche mommy experience that I thought I would experience at least two years from now, but I get to enjoy now. She wants to play with my jewelry and wear it just like mommy, or dress me up in all of my accessories.
These are the mother-daughter moments I live for, but then there are those that I’d rather she didn’t imitate. I’d rather not see her grunt in frustration when she can’t open something, or when things don’t necessarily go her way.
I know this is what most toddlers do, but it’s also what I do, unfortunately. I’d rather she didn’t yell at the dog when she does something she’s not supposed to do (where did she get that from? Oh yeah, oops!). And I definitely would rather she didn’t imitate her daddy’s bad habits either, like the time she took a cigarette out of his pocket and placed it behind her ears, just like daddy does. Needless to say, we looked at each other horrified. My husband quit smoking right then and there.
Yes, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, maybe when an acquaintance or friend does it. But when your child imitates your behavior, good or bad, it’s a reminder that every move is on display to a very impressionable little person. That’s a lot of pressure!
Each time Olivia politely says “please” or “thank you,” and each time she affectionately gives us a hug and kiss, we know we’re doing something right. I’m proud of her when she tries to help me clean up around the house, when she volunteers to brush her own teeth (all five of them), and when she helps us feed the pets like a big girl.
But we also know it’s not just our good behavior that she will be copying. So we’re extra nice to each other, remember our manners, and make sure not to use bad words. Every now and then, we even catch ourselves being good when she’s not watching us at all.
