"Kinder waren noch nie sehr gut darin, ihren Älteren zuzuhören, aber sie haben es nie versäumt, sie nachzuahmen."

Simplified Meaning:

Kids often don't pay much attention to what adults tell them to do. However, they watch adults closely and copy what they see. For example, if parents tell their children to be polite but the parents themselves are often rude, the children are more likely to act rude too. This happens because children learn more from seeing actions than from hearing words. It's like when a father says that smoking is bad, but he smokes every day; the child might end up smoking too, thinking it is okay because the father does it, despite what he says. So, adults need to act in the way they want their children to behave because kids are always watching and learning from their actions, not just their words. This idea can help parents and teachers remember that being a good role model is crucial in teaching good behavior.