People of Character

I've been thinking a lot lately (dangerous, I know) about the part I play in shaping and molding the character and personality of each of my kids: specifically what they are learning by means of observation.
I can already see how the things I do and say are affecting my kids, how they mimic my behavior (whether or not it's good, and whether or not they copy it on purpose), and especially my tone of voice. I've been taking extra care to catch and correct behaviors and thoughts I have that I don't also want them to have.
I have been watching other parents recently, too; observing their character flaws and the ways their children copy them. I am now frighteningly aware of how young a child can be when they start to display purposeful negative behavior (i.e. lying, cheating, putting others down)!
As a result, I've come up with a list of things I hope I DON'T teach my kids by accident (a non-wishlist of sorts). Some of these are things I've done in the past or have caught myself being tempted to do in recent months and some of them are things I've watched other parents or kids do. I have also begun a list of things I hope my kids DO learn from me or develop despite being exposed to my flaws.

Here's a glimpse of the lists:

I hope my children do not...

• sneak/ act deceitfully (essentially: lie), or put themselves in a situation where they might have to
• try to make other people feel bad/ dumb so they can feel better about themselves
• twist or try to minimize the importance of what the Bible says in order to get what they want
• break their promises or back out on their commitments
• cultivate laziness
• try to get away with being rude or not using manners in their efforts to achieve a goal
• develop a desire to please others instead of trying to please God
• display competitiveness to the extent it puts others off or gives others a bad perception of them
• allow negative attitudes and thoughts to last long or affect the way they communicate
• act as though their lives are about figuring out what they want to do instead of knowing it's all about Jesus first

I hope my children...

• are thoughtful beyond reason/ anticipate the needs of others and act upon them when reasonable
• treat others with respect/ help preserve the dignity of others
• choose honesty in all situations-- even if it means dealing with undesirable consequences
• develop a strong intuition in order to discern right from wrong-- and follow it
• develop the ability to shake off hurtful and negative things others say to or about them
• have a desire to be people of integrity
• are mindful of how their actions and words can make others feel, and the perception it can give others of the type of people they are
• are the kind of friends their friends know they can't count on to help, to encourage, and to keep them accountable
• develop the desire and ability to "make it happen" when it comes to their goals
• read the Bible consistently

A few verses that have influenced all of this: Psalm 139:23-24 & Jeremiah 17:9-10