Why you should practice what you preach...

As a mother, I pride myself in teaching my children all the valuable lessons they need to lead a happy and healthy life. For example, I tell them, "Look both ways before you cross the street," or "your dinner forking is meant for poking your food, not your brother." I try to exemplify all the messages that I preach into my children's seemingly deaf ears, so that someday they could in turn pass these along to others. But, I had no idea that this day would come so soon for my three year old son.

The other night, my husband had our financial advisor over, while I was at work. My husband told my son to play quietly so he could sit and talk to Mr. Advisor at the table. Being as obedient as any three year old could, he sat on the floor right next to his daddy and amused himself with his dump truck, occasionally interrupting to engage himself in his father's conversation.

Mr. Advisor, trying to appease my little guy with some small talk, said, "I like your UCONN suit that you have on. Are you going to play basketball for UCONN someday?"

My toddler looked up to the man and simply replied, "No, I can't."

Mr. Advisor asked, "Why not?"

My son continued, "I can't play basketball, because Mommy broke my basketball."

My other half quickly chimed in, "What? Mommy didn't break your ball."

Fustrated, my son said, "Yes she did, Mommy ran my Dora basketball over with her car and popped it!"

Hubby to my resue, "Well, if you put your toys away that wouldn't happen."

Without missing a beat my little instructor stood up, pointed his finger and retorted, "You know, you're suppose to watch where you're going when you're driving."

When my husband told me the story when I got home from work that night, I couldn't decide if I wanted to laugh or shrivel up with embarrassment. After all, I did quite literally put a hole in my child's chance at becoming Jim Calhoun's next star player. But, before I could decide how I felt, my husband looked me square in the eye, smiled and said, "And you think nobody ever listens to you."

I am proud that I have such witty children and I am pleased to know that not all of what I say falls upon deaf ears. I guess that I can only hope when my children are able to drive that they do as I say and not as I do.