Family Responsibilities

So, on Sunday we had a lesson in Relief Society about Family responsibilities.  Lisa Wilberg, the teacher did a really great job. Before the lesson, she had asked her kids what they thought were the specific roles of each family member.  After church, I decided to do the same with my kids.  They had some good, funny and some really off the wall responses.  I wanted to share before I forgot.

When I asked them what a dad's responsibilities (or jobs) were they said, "to make money, to play games good, to keep everyone else safe and protected. To kill the spiders and bugs. To take care of their kids when mom's are gone.

A mom's responsibilities according to the kids are, "to make the food, to wash the dishes, to teach everyone about the Book of Mormon and everything else, to clean the toilet and the rest of the house, to take the kids where they need to go. And to sleep with the dad.

A kids responsibilities are to eat the food, to listen to the mom and dad, to play, to pick up their rooms, to be good. To go to bed when their mom says and to sleep in their own beds. To go to school and to learn at school and at home.

In the Family, A Proclamation to the World,
"Husband and wife have a solemn responsibility to love and care for each other and for their children. “Children are an heritage of the Lord” (Psalm 127:3). Parents have a sacred duty to rear their children in love and righteousness, to provide for their physical and spiritual needs, and to teach them to love and serve one another, observe the commandments of God, and be law-abiding citizens wherever they live. Husbands and wives—mothers and fathers—will be held accountable before God for the discharge of these obligations."

We talked about this paragraph in our class and it really made me think about the love and service we give in our own homes. To our family members.  Do we get caught up in my job and his job and their job and forget about them?  I can take out the garbage and fix the sink and mow the lawn and read a book or help with building a for as good and your average person.  I think it is important to remember that our love for one another is the most important thing and a lot of the time we can lessen someones load by helping them with their responsibilities. I am at home a lot more than Adam is.  Do I like mowing the lawn?  Not at all, but I do it because I know if I do, Adam will have a little bit more time to focus on the kids or doing something that will help him be in a better mood.  It doesn't take a lot of time, but it makes a difference.  We are a family, no one person is better or above another.  we are here to help and strengthen one another.  I think if we focus on that instead of what he or she isn't doing right or doing at all, the little things matter less and we grow stronger as a unit.  Satan is trying so hard to pull families apart.  We see that every day.  Even is some of the strongest families. 

I still struggle with yelling.  I am so short with the kids.  It makes me crazy. It seems like such a simple thing to hold my tongue.  No matter how hard I try I can't control myself.  Maybe it'll take a life time to get control of myself.  I will not give up.  

We were at the park yesterday and there was a cute little boy there. Corbin said he was 10 but he didn't look that old.  He was the kindest, happiest kid.  He was nice to all the kids that were there, old and young.  He made everyone feel like they mattered.  I want to meet his parents and see what they do.  they have to do something or things right in order to have such a loving kid.  that is the kind of parent I want to be, the kind that raises great kids. Kids that stand out because of their greatness.  Maybe someday. Maybe someday.