Parenting

Parenting

The Toughest Job You'll Ever Love

The Proclamation teaches that: "Happiness in family life is most likely to be achieved when founded upon the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ.  Successful marriages and families are established and maintained on principles of faith, prayer, repentance, forgiveness, respect, love, compassion, work, and wholesome recreational activities.  By divine design, fathers are to preside over their families in love and righteousness and are responsible to provide the necessities of life and protection for their families.  Mothers are primarily responsible for the nurture of their children.  In these sacred responsibilities, fathers and mothers are obligated to help one another as equal partners."

Let me tell you something, parenting isn't for sissies.  Just reading all the things I'm responsible for doing as a mom is still intimidating, and my kids are pretty much grown. But let me tell you something else...I wouldn't have it any other way.  Being a parent is the greatest job ever.  Nothing has helped me understand how much Heavenly Father loves us more than raising my own family. I love my kids "to infinity and beyond", "as big as the sky" and "to the moon and back".  As I tell them (I know, I'm embarrassing), I love them "oodles and bunches and tons."  And guess what, I know your parents feel the same way about you. So, for this little segment of your study, I want you to do something for me...CUT YOUR MOM & DAD SOME SLACK!!!  I know them and they are awesome!  Try to remember that, please. 

Speaking of lists, here is a great one from an essay called "Parenting with Love, Limits and Latitude" that shares some things parents need to do in order to "promote optimal development" in their children. 

• Love, warmth and support
• Clear and reasonable expectations for competent behavior
• Limits and boundaries with some room for negotiation and compromise
• Reasoning and developmentally appropriate consequences and punishments for breaching established limits
• Opportunities to perform competently and make choices
• Absence of coercive, hostile forms of discipline, such as harsh physical punishment, love withdrawal, shaming, and inflicting guilt.

Would you add anything to the list?

What about spiritual training? 

Here is what Professor David A. Nelson had to say about things like Family Home Evening and Prayer: "The Latter-day Saint approach to teaching children, particularly through avenues such as family home evening and scripture study, is most essential to promoting understanding and internalization of important values that will guide behavior.  Similarly, prayer encourages children's sense of accountability to their Heavenly Father for their lives and actions."

I found a talk given a couple years ago that does a great job of teaching us parents what we need to do, and how we need to be.  I want you to watch it, and keep in mind that when your parents drive you crazy, they are only trying to be obedient to our Heavenly Father, who has asked us to raise you in righteousness so you can return to live with Him.  It's a big big job.  Anyway, watch the video.  Then, why don't you write your mom and dad a little note letting them know how much you love them?  It will make their day, week, month and year. I pinky promise.