I recently had a conversation with my youngest sister about teaching our children to work. She mentioned to me that her seven year old did not do any chores around the house. She said that because she didn't have that much to clean, it was easier for her to just do it herself. I laughed and said, "You don't have your children do chores because it's EASIER or because it's more EFFICIENT... You do it to teach them HOW to work." I recalled when my oldest two boys were 4 and 5 years-old, and how we cleaned the bathroom together. Initially, I began the bathroom cleaning assignment in an attempt to teach them to improve their aim at the toilet, but it ended up being a great way to introduce them to the idea of work and responsibility. I tackled the mirrors, sink, and counter while one child did the tub and the other cleaned the toilet. I sprayed the cleaner all over the toilet, dumped a pitcher of water over it (that's how bad their aim was), and then my 4 year-old used a towel to dry it … [Read more...]
Mother: It is a Divine Calling
On Mother's Day I got to Skype my oldest son who is in Chile serving a two-year mission for our church. He only gets to call home twice a year, and this was one of those days. I was so impressed by the young man he has become... I thought, "This has been a long 19 year journey." I thought of all of the frustration and destruction he caused as a young child. I thought of the nights that my sleep was interrupted. I thought of the career I had sacrificed to raise my four children while my husband was gone during medical school and residency. As I looked back, I realized that all of the sacrifices had been worth this moment. I thought... "Being a mother is really a great thing!" The world today seems to devalue our divine role of being mothers. I've heard it said that "motherhood is next to Godhood." Who else cares for us as unconditionally as God if not our mothers? I believe that motherhood is a calling from God, to take His children and care for them as He would care for them, … [Read more...]
Technology: Teaching our Children How to Use it Appropriately
As parents we have to actively teach our children appropriate uses of technology so that they can reap the benefits and avoid the pitfalls of its use. The modern world in which we live is ever changing. My oldest two sons were in middle school when the first iphones came out on the market in June of 2007. I remember saying, "Why would you ever need a phone with a camera or internet, and what is the big deal about texting?" I had no idea how the world of technology would change in the next seven years. We live in a time where we are blessed with amazing technology that facilitates communication and the acquisition of knowledge at a tremendous rate; however, if misuse this gift, it can serve as a curse to our families. We are faced with parenting issues that our parents never faced, and we truly have no concept of the long term consequences of these advances on our society. I believe that God inspires men to create so that His work can be advanced. I also believe that satan tries to … [Read more...]
Reader Comments