Working together as a family.

I have a strong belief that families should work together in the home. Whether you are outside doing yard work or inside doing daily chores, a family that works side by side bond. Parents should teach their children to learn to work because it is the whole family's responsibility.  We all live in the house, use the materials in the house and all make messes, so we should all work together to make it clean.  When I was younger my parents expected me to get my chores done before I went to play with my friends. Growing up my family has always planted a garden.  I really enjoyed planting the vegetable plants together and really felt connected as a family.  It was fun to pick them out of the garden with my brother and help cut them up for dinner.  I felt like a part of something when I helped grow, pick and cut the family meal.  Working as a family is a very important aspect in a family.  You learn responsibility but it is also a time to bond as a family.

Parenting

A child watches everything you do! Be sure to be an example!!

(If you don't have time to read this whole post.. at least watch the video at the end! (: It's worth

watching!!)

So this week we've been learning more about parenting and I realized, in order to be effective parents you must work together as a couple.  This may mean sitting down together each week as a couple and talking about ways you can improve together when it comes to child rearing and also being sure all of the children’s needs are being met.  There are five needs that every person has.  These needs are, 1) Contact and belonging, 2) Power 3) withdrawal 4) Protection and 5). Challenge.  Consider what things you are doing to meet these needs . If all of these basic needs are being met for the children, then consider the individual needs the children might have.  But along with getting with your spouse and talking about how you can best help the children, you should make sure that your marriage is being strengthened and that your spouse is getting all of their needs met.  If your marriage is deteriorating and isn’t very strong, it effects the way that you parent.  Let your spouse and your children know that you appreciate them.  Tell them why you love them.

In other classes I have been learning how much a divorce can and children living with blended families can really have a negative effect on children.  They do not do as well in school when this is going on.  It has been researched that it is known that divorce can have more of a negative effect on a child than a parent’s death.  That is quite an effect that divorce can have.  I repeat, it is very, very important that you strengthen your family so that your children can have the best family and home environment possible.  Parenting can be a lot better when your marriage is stable.  It is such much better to do it right the first time.  And if for some reason, it doesn’t happen to go right the first time and you do happen to get a divorce, it is not the end. Sometimes circumstances don’t permit things to go the way you want.  In this case still parent your children the best that you can and give your children as much of you as you can. 

Parenting is very important.  Children and family really do matter.  Do not take these matters lightly.  Your children and your family deserve the best!  Make sure to give them your time and your effort, even if you feel you don’t have either.  While you are becoming closer to them and helping them, they will help you too and make a difference in your life!

I've been wanting to share this video! Hopefully it applies! It is a great example of how to sacrifice for your spouse and also how to keep your relationship strong! 

Padre, Papa, Father, Dad

A father can have a big role in the family and rearing their children

We've been talking about fathers in class and were also assigned to write a paper on fathers.  While doing the research for my paper, I've been learning alot!! Did you know that father interaction can greatly help their children with their social-emotional, language and intellectual development? On the website, parentsasteachers.org I learned a father can help a child with all of these things.

When it comes to social-emotional development, when a child's emotional responses are acknowledged by their father, and their father helps them address it with a problem-solving approach, the children score higher on emotional intelligence tests.

Father's are a big influence on children's language development. They are more likely than mothers to speak in ways that teach their children about social communication exchanges and challenge their child's developing language abilities.

Fathers help their children with their intellectual development.  Fathers are more likely to expand their child's creative horizons and find new and unexpected ways to play with familiar toys.

I am really grateful for my own father in my life! He has interacted with me and worked really hard to have a close relationship with me throughout my life.  He has been an example to me in many many ways and a friend when I needed one.  He has always taken time out of his own day to play games with me and help me learn and grow! Some people don't have fathers in their lives.  Father like figures can play that role and be beneficial as well. Home teachers and priesthood leaders can often play that role and are there when you need them!