It's so obvious...
It's like I tapped into this big idea that is brand new. Yet when I try and come up with easy examples of why you need to be the person you want your kids to be, I think of sayings I have heard my whole life. "Lead by example," or jokingly "Do as I say, not as I do," "I learned it by watching you, Dad." (Classic no smoking campaign). But the power of setting an example for your kids is greatly understated. I believe it goes way beyond the external self image. Yes, when we have manors and are kind to others, it is important our children see this. And not just when we are supposed to, but all the time. To everyone. Kids understand tone and respect. They get when your doing something because that is the correct way to do it, and when you genuinely feel your actions come from a real place. And this is something you cannot explain to them, it is something you show them. I am laughing thinking about how we speak to Alexa, the media system. Even she gets a "please" because that's just how we speak to everyone.
But the deeper I look at this, the more amazing it becomes. You cannot tell a kid to be confident when you are not confident. Or tell them they are beautiful if you yourself do not feel beautiful. You can't tell them what to do when they are feeling stressed out, when all they see is you handling stress poorly.
But we are not perfect and we all have these things we don't love about ourselves, so whats the answer? For me, the answer is...work on them! Figure out what you do not like about yourself and focus on ways to change. It feels so much easier when you picture your kid having the same issue and what advice you would give them. Deep down we have the answer to all of our issues, but taking the time to work on them feels like...work! A lot of work! Who wants more work? Well, if it can change your CHILDRENS lives, it seems worth it.