What you do matters. Whether it’s your own health behaviors or the way you treat other people, your children are learning from what you do. Jayjay Lucas believes that the greatest lesson he’s learnt as a father would be, “That my kids are a reflection of the parents. That I need to be mindful of my action and words and disposition around them.”
Walk the walk. Don’t just tell your child what you want them to do. Show them. Human is a special species in part because we can learn by imitation.
We are programmed to copy other’s actions to understand them and to incorporate them into our own. Children in particular watch everything their parents do very carefully.
Influence your kids
Influencing your kids is very important in being a parent, so be the person you want your child to be—respect your child, show them positive behavior and attitude, have empathy towards your child’s emotion and your child will follow.
This is one of the most important principles. What you do makes a difference. Don’t just react on the spur of the moment.
Jayjay Lucas shares, “To influence the kids to love Jesus and that Family will always come first before work.”
“If you put God first, everything else will follow,” he strongly believes.
What to teach your kids
As a father of almost four kids—Caitie who would have been 8-years old by August, Ethan who is turning 5 in a few days, Calea who is 2.4-years old, and a new baby by by September—it is important for Jayjay Lucas that when you become a parent, you take great responsibility for your baby’s future.
Everyone wants their children to be kind, honest, sympathetic, and brave. However, these qualities won’t appear out of nowhere. A good upbringing and personal examples are the keys to success.
About money
Jayjay shares to his kids that when earning money, they have to be wise in where and when to spend it.
About having friends
He also strongly believes that when gaining friends one should always respect the other and practice kindness by considering them first.
About success
The father-of-almost four kids imparts something about success too and that success is simply not giving up at a task given or a challenge before you.
About dealing with bullies
Finally, Jayjay says that when dealing with bullies, “You can talk to mommy and daddy always about when it happens and that I will defend you and talk to the parents of the bully if they are around with him/her.”
What is the purpose for your parenting?
Before we can parent effectively, our purpose needs to be clear. When we have that clarity, we will be able to train our children to be responsible adults when they leave us. Life skills are valuable lessons kids will use throughout their lifetime.
Photo: Janos Andanar (Jayjay Lucas’s Instagram)
Also read: Courageous Caitie’s mom is expecting another child