Here’s what she shares:
“This is an
admonitory phrase that has been used by parents the world over for generations
and yet, very few people seem to know its origins. In the Spectator on June 24, 1911, this advice
was published: “It has always been
considered allowable to say to children, ‘Do as I say, rather than as I do.’”
This phrase, however,
harkens back to several generations before 1911. In John Selden’s book Table Talk which
was published posthumously in 1689 (and written in 1654 just prior to his
death), he wrote: ”Preachers say, ‘Do
as I say, not as I do.’ And while
the advice is sound, he was not the first author to offer it. In 1546, John Heywood’s “A Dialogue
Conteinyng the Nomber in Effect of All the Prouerbes in the Englishe Tongue“
the following can be found: “It is as
folke dooe, and not as folke say.”
However, the
Anglo-Saxons in the 12th Century were known to say: “Ac theah ic wyrs do
thonne ic the lære ne do thu na swa swa ic do, ac do
swa ic the lære gyf ic the wel lære” which translates
into: “Although I do worse than I teach you, do not do as I do,
but do as I teach you if I teach you well.”
However, when all is
said and done, this saying can be traced all the way back to the Bible in the
Book of St. Matthew (verses 1-3) where the King James Version states: “Then
spake Jesus to the multitude, and to his disciples saying “The scribes
and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat: All therefore whatsoever they bid
you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they
say, and do not.”
As a reflective person I have to ask myself, “Do I
walk my talk?” Of course the answer is
“Not always”, but when it comes to being a positive role model and mentor for
youth, I believe that I do this in my direct interactions with youth but also
by helping to prepare role models and mentors for their work with youth. Please join be by investing in the mission of
Entrusted Legacy. You can find out about
our work at www.entrustedlegacy.org
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