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Passing Down Traits…

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After picking up my son, I arrived home tired from work last night. I schlepped off my formal work clothes and donned an oversized t-shirt, sweat pants, and fluffy pink slippers. Just thinking about making dinner was making me drag.

Baby boy started fussing a little, hungry for his dinner. I looked at him, smiled, and started asking him if he was hungry.

Asking him while singing in an opera voice.

I didn’t even realize I was doing it until about the fourth time singing, ‘AaaaaaAAAaaAAaaare you HuuuuUUUUuuuungry BoyyyyYYYYyyyYYY?’

I don’t sing opera. Um. Hubby would like to say I can’t sing at all. And before baby Cash was born, you wouldn’t catch me singing…ever. But here I was, standing in my living room, singing in an opera voice to my son.

And then I choked.

I have turned into my mother.

My whole life, my mother sang in an opera voice to children. I don’t think she’s capable of speaking to them, only singing. And I realized, I’ve picked up a lot of traits from my mother. That got me thinking, what traits will I pass to my children? I want them to be good, kind hearted, giving, etc. But what will they find themselves doing that says ‘I’ve turned into my mother!’? What stands out about me?

Will it be my goodness? My kindness? My giving?

Ha.

I have a feeling Cash will be standing in the snack aisle screaming ‘I WILL NOT buy you!!’ to the Lays potato chips when he’s thirty.

I’ve got to start being the person I want my son to become.

I may never shake the singing thing… but maybe that’s not a bad thing. It reminds me that tiny little eyes are watching.


6 Comments

  • Reply Kira |

    lol, it’s almost like every time i have enough money to do something fun but chose to pay towards or off a bill that doesn’t need paying necessarily. i call my parents and tell them they are horrible for teaching me the value of a dollar but secretly love it because it is one less thing i will have to worry about (and one more thing i hope will be passed on as a trait someday)

  • Reply Cindi Ford |

    That is funny I notice myself acting like my Mom the most around babies also. My Mom just loves babies and becomes a totally goofy and almost clown like figure whenever they are around. She is the one to always start a game of peek a boo at mere sight of a baby old enough to play. I too seem to start acting uncharacteristically goofy at mere baby sight. Something about their big smiles and giggles I guess. Thank you for sharing.

  • Reply Amy |

    So FUNNY…whenever I am cleaning or cooking in the kitchen, I start singing BROADWAY…REALLY LOUD!!! My kids plug their ears, and cringe a little, mostly out of embarrassment cuz their friends are always here (hopefully my voice isn’t that bad). I think it’s a GOOD trait to pass on…..it makes me happy to sing! Hopefully it makes them happy too!!! Keep on SINGING!
    Amy
    crazyclutterlady.blogspot.com

  • Reply mom |

    So sorry Beks…. NOT. Tee hee. Hopefully Cash won’t put his hand over your mouth one day like your sister did to me. She did it so sweetly, but definitely to let me know that she was not impressed with my operatic voice… humbling. Kids are so darn honest. Love you, mom

  • Reply Sleeping Mama |

    Not only do I find myself saying the same things as my mom, but I even copy her intonations! I think a big part of it was that when my son was born, my mom was around for a few weeks and since I was very new at “baby speak” I ended up mirroring the cooing and phrases my mom would say to my newborn. That still doesn’t explain why I continue to do it two years later!

So, what do you think ?