Big Britches.

Yesterday I got told off, I've been getting told off a lot lately. We were talking back to the car after a quick shopping trip when Jack noticed that I was walking a little bit faster than he and Helen were.
Quick Mommy, before Daddy gets away. He's getting away Mommy!

I subsequently ran to the car and tried to make a getaway.
It was all good fun and giggles until we got into the car where Jack informed me of the dangers of my running off alone. He looked me stern faced right in the eye, his tone was low and he was leaning inward. He looked like a three foot tall court judge.

You shouldn't run off without people. The people that are with you should always be with you and you shouldn't be running off by yourself.
You might get lost, or squashed by a car.

It's a funny thing really. All the little things we tell Jack are starting to come up on a daily basis. He'll tell me to sit up, or look at my empty plate at dinner time and say, You've done really well Daddy. You've eaten all your dinner. Even when he was only a year and a half old he used to tell me off for tapping food particles into the bin, Daddy don't pound things!

It makes you extremely aware of your own actions. I'm a big believer in leading by example but it's a difficult teaching method in general. With children, especially your own, even more so because kids really do see everything. I try to show him honesty, bravery, integrity and the other principles that I want to instill in him but it's a lot of pressure. On the other hand it's a real insight into one's self. I'm find myself constantly considering what Jack would think of my actions, I find I monitor myself in what I say, do or even think, even when he's not around. I worry that Jack may pick up some of my less people friendly manners, my temper, or any other weaknesses. No doubt genetics will play the biggest role in most of it so I guess I'm just hoping that he'll pick up most of our better stock. I'm dreading the day when Jack uses my set example to justify his actions.