The monster I created

I've never read the book, Frankenstein or seen the movie, but I can pretty much figure out the story. Scientist creates a monster and then monster acts like a monster. Kind of like kids. I'm not saying kids are monsters - even though sometimes they do act like them! I'm saying that we create our kids. We make them what they are. Is your child demanding? Will he eat nothing but chicken nuggets smothered in ketchup and only wear white socks on Tuesdays and not move from the car until you unbuckle the seatbelt and not pick up the Pokemon cards that he threw on the floor yesterday because he's waiting for you to do it? Do you pick them up? Do you unbuckle the seatbelt? Do you wash the white socks on Tuesday and stop at the grocery to restock the ketchup in the pantry? You've created that "monster". To me, one of the biggest mistakes parents make is expecting their children to be a certain way and then not giving them the tools to learn how to be that way. Do you want your child to dress themselves every morning but then get exasperated when they take too long and do it for them? Do you want them to try new flavors and stop being picky eaters but then continue to change the menu depending on their mood or whim? They are children. How can we keep expecting them to know the right thing to do and to do it all the time? How can we wish for them to be well behaved and obedient and sweet and happy and nice and all of that good stuff if we're not that way? As a parent, you are always on display. Your child is always watching you. They hear you gossiping on the phone. They see you roll your eyes at your husband. They hear the curse you mutter at the driver who cut you off. They are always watching. And you might not believe it, but most times they will do what you do. If they see you doing it, they think it's okay. So let them catch you being good. Let them see you using the best manners possible or saying a kind word to someone when you really feel like saying something else. Let them see you being honest and fair. Let them see you sharing. So, really, you have to figure out how to be a better person if you want to be a better parent. It's a process. Just keep working on it.