There is a saying- More is caught than taught. This is absolutely true. Most children end up just like the person that they were around the most. Many times, children seem to reflect some of our worst traits.
The reason for this is because a child becomes like he's been trained to be. 'Tis training for the common mind: just as the twig is bent the tree's inclined. And it's very true.
Most of us don't realize that every day we are bending our child into what they will become, whether we like it or not. The way we respond to situations, the things we say and do when we think they aren't watching or listening, our attitude through difficult or trying circumstances all shape the way our children react to the same situations.
In the book Training Children In Godliness, Jacob Abbot addresses the ways we mold our children. He points out that every day we are leading our children into their future lives with certain character traits that will be either a blessing or a hindrance for the rest of their lives.