What They Will Copy

A father can give excellent advice while quietly teaching the opposite. Tell your children to control their anger while they watch yours command the house. Tell them phones are addictive while yours never leaves your hand. Tell them prayer matters while they never see you pray. Children are students of contradiction.

This should not produce panic. Your children do not need a flawless father. They need an honest one. Let them see you apologize. Let them watch you keep a difficult promise. Let them see you train when you do not feel like training, pray when life is uncertain, treat their mother with honor, and correct yourself when you fail.

One day they may forget many of your speeches. But they will carry a thousand small images of how you lived. Give them something worth imitating. Your example is teaching even when your mouth is closed.