Growing up I had a good friend that lived a few streets away from me. She had a house full of brothers and she told me once that she was going to "fat dog it" with her family one night. I found out that meant that you sit around on the couch and veg. It was such a funny term to use for that that I told my family and my dad hasn't stopped using the term to this day. For that matter, I haven't stopped using it either! I thoroughly enjoy any chance I get to "fat dog it!"
Since we get home from church so early this year and Sunday's are supposed to be a day of rest ;), I usually get some time to fat dog it with my husband and cute kids. Luckily we were able to today and it was restful and enjoyable!
In other news, my favorite talk that I read this week was Becoming Goodly Parents, by Elder L. Tom Perry. I really enjoyed his tips and ideas to be a better parent. The five things he suggests are:
"First, parents can pray in earnest, asking our Eternal Father to help them love, understand, and guide the children He has sent to them.
Second, they can hold family prayer, scripture study, and family home evenings and eat together as often as possible, making dinner a time of communication and the teaching of values.
Third, parents can fully avail themselves of the Church’s support network, communicating with their children’s Primary teachers, youth leaders, and class and quorum presidencies. By communicating with those who are called and set apart to work with their children, parents can provide essential understanding of a child’s special and specific needs.
Fourth, parents can share their testimonies often with their children, commit them to keep the commandments of God, and promise the blessings that our Heavenly Father promises His faithful children.
Fifth, we can organize our families based on clear, simple family rules and expectations, wholesome family traditions and rituals, and “family economics,” where children have household responsibilities and can earn allowances so that they can learn to budget, save, and pay tithing on the money they earn."
But my favorite part of the talk was the letter he shared that he had written to his mom for Mother's Day. He told her "You always found time to take the family into the canyon, and we could count on you to do anything from climbing mountains to playing ball with us. You and Dad were never going on vacations alone. The family was always with you." That is reminiscent to me of my childhood. My parents did fun things with us often. We went hiking in the mountains, boating, on camping trips, my dad taught be to wake-board and snow ski, and my parents never went on vacation alone, we always went together. One of my Dad's mottos were "Where we go one, we go all!" And that was the case. And I loved it. We made good memories and grew close as a family.
I want to be the kind of mother that will get out there with her kids and play. I don't want to watch from the side. I also enjoy being the kind of parent with Brad that likes doing things with our children. We go on dates every weekend, but our kids come with us. I know it is important to have time as a couple and we definitely get that when our kids go to bed and have fun "at home dates," and we do occasionally go out just the two of us, but we really enjoy being with our kids and being all together. Sometimes I feel in the minority to feel that way so it was nice to hear Elder Perry say that he appreciated that from his parents.
Mainly I'm just really grateful to be able to parent such good children and to have the support of such a good husband. We are very lucky and very blessed.
No comments :
Post a Comment