User post: How Does Your Child Reflect You?

The good. The bad. The ugly. My personality has its fair share of each, it turns out. Sure I knew this, but only recently did I really see this. One day I was chatting with Big and realized he talks like a 15-year-old valley girl. The "like"s, "totally"s, "dude"s and attitude that made up his story had me in stitches. Of course I was quick to point to our young, fun-loving babysitter's influence. Until I listened to myself later that night. That's when it hit me. He doesn't talk like a 15-year-old valley girl, he-like, totally-talks like me.

Once my eyes were opened, it was like I couldn't stop seeing myself in my little boys. When Little yells Big's name in frustration, he doesn't sound like a Gremlin. He sounds like me. When Big says to Little, "Stop. That. Immediately!", he doesn't sound like a military officer. He sounds like me. When Little makes his serious, pensive face, he doesn't look like a grumpy old man. He looks like me. And when Big flies into a panic about spilling a drop of chocolate milk, he doesn't look like a crazed control freak. He looks like me.

(Did I mention that we all happen to be pretty hard on ourselves too?)

While it's easy to see our flaws in our kids, it's also heartwarming to see our strengths reflected in them. My boys are kind, funny, insightful, patient (ok, ok, they get that from their dad), passionate, compassionate and dance like no one's watching. They love each other, our family and their friends with the biggest of hearts. And just like I do my best to teach them how to be good people, they're teaching me far more than I could ever have imagined about myself.

What do you see when you look in your little mirrors?

*Read more from Amy at her slice-of-life parenting blog, Using Our Words.