Do as I Say, Not as I Do

"DO AS I SAY, NOT AS I DO?IS A COMMON ABUSE OF AUTHORITY

There are so many wrong ways to approach something, and fewer right choices. Therefore, people depend on those around them and different resources for good advice and influences. Children, especially, look up to their parents and other adults in admiration and try to mimic their actions. It is not always easy, however, even for the heroic adults to set the right examples. "Do as I say, not as I do?is one of the most commonly used clich?. As often as it is said though, it probably does not work in most cases. This phrase reveals three important messages: children learn from their parents?examples, saying is easier than doing, and actions are more convincing.

People, generally, are easily influenced by the decisions of those around them. They acknowledge their imperfect knowledge, and try to learn what they lack from others?experiences and wisdom. Also, a person's behavior represents who she is, therefore, it is important to present oneself most properly in front of others. Even more so than the grownups, children are more vulnerable to influences. They also have weaker acquaintance when distinguishing which the correct ways of achievement are, and which ones should be ignored. They will resolve to emulate everything and anything that their idols are doing; all adults, especially, the parents are the children's idols. If a mother constantly litters in public, her child will learn to behave in the same way. An abusive or alcoholic father will raise his son to be just as violent and irrational. People may not be conscious of the effects of their own conducts on the children's development, but everything the adults say or do in presence of a child is susceptible to becoming the child's own expression.

As much as people would like to perform everything they plan to do, doing seems to require more efforts than saying. It is easy to tell someone else to "Don't drink and drive,?and "Think before you act? however, are you able to do that? Parents often order their children to act in a certain way or say polite words, but they don't realize that in many occasions, their children only hear these commands being repeated but they these children don't observe them happening from