Parenting

It's summer now. This is the first summer that I've ever had with the transition that other, older, mom's have told me about. My oldest was in Kindergarten this past year, so we had a routine. In the morning we got up, the kids made their beds while I made breakfast. We ate. While eating I would read a story from the Friend magazine to them. Then when they finished they cleared their plates, got dressed, we had family prayers, and it was off to school. Since summer has started we have gotten out of the routine of things. The t.v. has been on too much. The kids have been getting board more quickly. So I made not only a picture chart of all of the things/chores they need to get done, but also a 'board list' that they can look at to get ideas of what do to when they are board. For the past week it has been working so much better! Things have been running a little more smoothly. I thought we were doing good, until a few days ago when I read a talk from this past General Conference. It was given by Elder L. Tom Perry entitled, "Mothers teaching Children in the Home." There were a few quotes that really stood out to me. They helped me to see that I was still dropping the ball, and more improvements needed to be made.
Elder Perry said, "...parents are entrusted with the education of their children and, ultimately, parents must ensure that their children are being taught what their Heavenly Father would have them learn." Reading this reminded me that I wasn't reading to them at breakfast anymore. So I started to do that again. I had forgotten how much I loved reading those stories How much I loved being able to bare my testimony to them each day. How much I loved being able to teach them the principles of the gospel. It has made a huge different once again in our home. Elder Perry also said, "Teaching the gospel of Jesus Christ in the home adds another layer of insulation to protect our children from worldly influences." That is so true! I feel it when we are having family prayer morning and night, when we are having FHE, when we are reading from the scriptures each day, and when I find the little moments to teach them gospel truths. I need to do so much better at that. Why is it that when we know something, sometimes it's so hard to remember to do it? It drives me crazy that I forget or that other things crowd in. I'm trying and I know that I need to try a little harder. I liked how Elder Perry put it when he said, "...daily parenting is among the most powerful and sustaining forces for good in the world today." Do you feel the urgency of that statement? I know I sure do. I am so thankful that I can change, repent, and do better, be a better mom. Which is something I'm striving to do for my children. I'm thankful the the tender mercy that Heavenly Father gave to me when I read this talk. It opened my mind to understand a little more of the importance of being a good mom to my children and how to accomplish it.