Bad Habits and Dad
Being stubborn can make you smile!
Major or Minor
Everybody has bad habits. They might be minor or insignificant, e.g., chewing with your mouth open, snorting or burping out loud. It is also possible that a persons bad habits might be major, e.g., back talking, fighting or yelling. The problem with bad habits is we first have to admit we have one.
As a man admitting I have any bad habits is the same as admitting defeat (and I am not overly fond of defeat!) It has recently been brought to my attention that I might be contributing to my son having bad habits (I truly am as shocked as you are!) People in my life have told me that I am stubborn. I am unsure why people would start this rumor about me….stubborn is not a trait that is overly desirable. I know, as a father, that my son watches my behavior. If I am overly stubborn, I should start to notice that my son is stubborn.
What a Pickle
The other day I took Xander to play with his 3-year-old cousin, Olivia. They both played hard, ran fast and had a good time. They both asked me for a snack at about the same time. I started by asking them what they would like.
Olivia in typical fashion told me, “Uncle Aaron…I want pickles!“ I knew how much Olivia liked pickles and I immediately told her yes. I then turned to Xander and asked him, “Olivia wants pickles for a snack. What would you like since you don’t like pickles?” Xander smiled at me and flatly stated, “I want pickles too!”
I should have known when my son told me he wanted pickles that stubbornness was the cause for his change in thinking, “Xan, you never eat them.” Xander frowned at me and bitterly snapped, “I do like pickles! I like them! I eat them all the time!”
Arguing with a 3-year-old is pointless so instead I proceeded to get pickles for Olivia and Xander. Olivia ate her pickles quickly but Xander just looked at them on his plate and twirled them with his fingers. I smiled and asked Xan, “I thought you liked pickles now? Aren’t you going to eat them?”
My stubborn son picked up a pickle and took a bite. Xander’s face wrinkled and his body shuttered with disgust and he told me, “See? I eat them. Pickles good!” I laughed out loud and told him, “Xan, if you don’t like them just say I don’t like them. I bet Olivia would even eat them for you.” Upon hearing this Olivia smiled, “I eat them Xander. Let me have them!”
Xander had a total of 5 small dill pickles on his plate and instead of admitting he didn’t like pickles, he ate most of them. He continued to take bite after bite telling me and Olivia how much he liked pickles. It wasn’t until the last pickle he begrudgingly “tossed” it towards Olivia and told her, “you like pickles…you eat it!” Olivia ate that last pickle with a smile on her face.
Being stubborn is one of my bad habits!By: Eden, Janine and Jim
A Moment
of
Bad Habits
I know my son has his stubborn moments but I never realized how bad they were until he ate pickles. It has given me a moment to consider my bad habits and stubbornness.
1. If I were stubborn I would at least admit it openly! Luckily, I am not admitting anything except maybe that Xander is stubborn.
2. If I were overly stubborn I would prefer being right and rarely admit that I was wrong. (After all, I did try to tell my son that he didn’t like pickles but he wouldn’t listen to me. I allowed him to eat the pickles knowing he would make hilarious faces. I only smiled a little when he finally gave the last pickle to Olivia)!
3. I have never really considered myself a mule but I have had several friend in the past say I was a jacka** at times. I am sure they were joking and being stubborn never crossed their mind!
All things considered bad habits are no joking matter! I already know I am vain (see Vanity – Good, Bad and Ugly) and I would think admitting to one fatal flaw is enough for anyone.
I have always been a little stubborn and now Xan may have picked up one of my bad habits. Do you have bad habits? Do have any that you try to hide from your family or children? What do you do when you see your kids following in things you are doing? Be sure to tell me in the comments!
Tags: fingers, pickle, snack, stubbornness
Stubbornness is what has led to every significant development in our world. Run with it!
LOL…I should be a run for inventing something very noteworthy then!!! yikes!!
Aaron
Great story, Aaron – gotta love those young ones with the “cut their noses off to spite their face” stubbornness. My oldest was the same way (umm, she can still be that way, and she is 19 years old).
Brian,
I know its true too! I am afraid though someone with a much larger planning is getting immense laughter when Xan I argue. I am most definitely being paid back for anything i might have done as a child.
Aaron
That’s pretty funny.
My bad habits are more problematic with my wife. We are both pretty stubborn. Coupled with procrastination it causes friction. And not the good kind.
-Mike
Mike,
I get that stubborn thing….of course not that I am admitting anything. I will never admit to being stubborn openly! I am not sure but I think te act of me not admitting to being stubborn could be construed as stubborn too…..yikes!
Aaron
I have caught my daughter biting her fingernails, & I know she gets it from me. She also has an intense need to understand WHY when I tell her to do or stop doing something. It’s not argumentative so much as that she wants to be convinced that there’s a good reason behind it — no blind following for her! Everything must have an explanation. I’m sad to admit she gets this intense curiosity from me as well. Otherwise, we are perfect. That’s my story & I’m stickin’ to it! :p
Andi,
Nothing wrong with curiosity…unless you are starring in a horror movie….(don’t ever go towards the noise or open the doors) Luckily, life isn’t really that scary!
Aaron