There can be many family resemblances, whether it's hair, height, face, or even health problems. There are some family resemblances that are less obvious and much more damaging.

Along the journey of parenting, there's the tendency to unconsciously revert to the way Mom or Dad did things - even if it was something that hurt us, that aggravated us, or something we really disliked. Suddenly you're hearing the echo of a parent, you're saying things you thought you would never say, and you're doing things you said you would never do.

The first words that children learn can reflect what's going on around them. If they see Mama all the time, you can expect them to say her name early on. Sometimes, those first words aren't very happy words. There was a couple who were dedicated missionaries in a war-torn part of the Middle East for years. Not long after their daughter was born, their area became a place where frequent bombardments and violence erupted all around them. A couple of their daughter's first words were "bomb" and "gun."