As most of you know, I am the mother of two boys. I absolutely adore being a mom. However, like all of you, I tend to run around like a chicken with my head cut off. I am not even going to rattle off my laundry list of daily activities because I am sure most of you are in the same boat. Recently, for my health and the sanity of my family, I have forced myself to slow down a bit. This doesn’t mean that I am working any less or have fewer responsibilities. This just means that I am not manically trying to DO IT ALL. I work hard for my clients. I cook and clean. I workout. I love on my boys. I am a wife. I love and respect my life.

In my efforts to slow down, I have been a little more aware of my surroundings and interactions. Even though we live in a fast paced world and move a mile a minute, it doesn’t mean that chivalry is dead, respect doesn’t exist and manners are thrown out the window. I took a few moments to think about how I treat people, how I want to be treated and what I want to instill in my boys. My husband and I discussed the Top 5 things that we want to teach our sons. There are obviously several more, but I am keeping it to these 5.

As you read them, you will think that they are fairly obvious. However, when you look at the way high powered men and women speak to each other and treat each other, you may reconsider that thought. When you think about the amount of time our society spends on electronic devices, you may wonder if our reality has become a bit skewed. When you look at the top news stories, you probably wonder, “Why?”

I am not telling you how to live your life, but I am making a strong recommendation. Take a moment. Breathe. Think about who and what is truly important in your life. How do you want to treat people? What do you want to pass on to your children? How do you want them to behave? How do you want society to behave? In reality, it’s fairly simple. Our kids learn from us. It starts at home.

  1. Respect
  2. To Think for Themselves
  3. To Be Confident
  4. To Be Kind
  5. To Be Humble & Supportive of Others

I would love to hear your list. What words of wisdom can you share with me so I can add on to my Top 5?