Pioneer Parenting
Both dad and I are converts to the church. We both had upbringings that were not always in line with the principles of The Family: A Proclamation to the World. None of your grandparents were familiar with the teaching that "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.". (Family Proclamation paragraph 6)
When it was our turn at parenting, a lot of the personal experiences and examples that we had were more of "what not to do". It was a blessing that we had several instruction manuals along the way, one of them being The Family: A Proclamation to the World.
Dad and I joined the church in 1990, the same year that we graduated high school and met on a blind date and we married a few months later in the summer of 1991. To say that we were in need of some serious counsel would be a gross understatement. During the years of trying to start a family and having a miscarriage, Joshua (stillborn at 28 weeks) and another miscarriage we had time to ponder, prepare and study.
Studying The Proclamation, it is apparent that "Heavenly Father expects parents to have significant influence in the lives of their children." (Nelson, chapter 11 p 118) One of the ways that I learned about early on in a Relief Society lesson was counsel from Harold B. Lee about being at "the crossroads of the home".(Lee, chapter 15 p 139) I put that into practice by being present at these important intersections of our family as much as I possibly could for the last 23 years. I have been alert, awake, present and in the moment during the various comings and goings at all times of the day and night. I try to make an effort to put down what I am doing, get off the phone or computer and make myself available to listen,counsel or just visit. "One of the primary ways mothers nurture growth and development is through helping create an environment of safety, peace and learning." (Erickson, chapter 12 pg 133) For me, a big part of creating that environment was just being there for and with you girls. There is a steep learning curve to being a first generation member of The Church and parenting in a way that is different from how we were raised. It took effort and patience, but it truly was through the study of the gospel and its principles that I learned to be a mom.
Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Harold B. Lee
Successful Marriages and Families: Proclamation Principles and Research Perspectives Edited by Alan J Hawkins, David C. Dollahite, Thomas W. Draper (2016)
When it was our turn at parenting, a lot of the personal experiences and examples that we had were more of "what not to do". It was a blessing that we had several instruction manuals along the way, one of them being The Family: A Proclamation to the World.
Dad and I joined the church in 1990, the same year that we graduated high school and met on a blind date and we married a few months later in the summer of 1991. To say that we were in need of some serious counsel would be a gross understatement. During the years of trying to start a family and having a miscarriage, Joshua (stillborn at 28 weeks) and another miscarriage we had time to ponder, prepare and study.
Studying The Proclamation, it is apparent that "Heavenly Father expects parents to have significant influence in the lives of their children." (Nelson, chapter 11 p 118) One of the ways that I learned about early on in a Relief Society lesson was counsel from Harold B. Lee about being at "the crossroads of the home".(Lee, chapter 15 p 139) I put that into practice by being present at these important intersections of our family as much as I possibly could for the last 23 years. I have been alert, awake, present and in the moment during the various comings and goings at all times of the day and night. I try to make an effort to put down what I am doing, get off the phone or computer and make myself available to listen,counsel or just visit. "One of the primary ways mothers nurture growth and development is through helping create an environment of safety, peace and learning." (Erickson, chapter 12 pg 133) For me, a big part of creating that environment was just being there for and with you girls. There is a steep learning curve to being a first generation member of The Church and parenting in a way that is different from how we were raised. It took effort and patience, but it truly was through the study of the gospel and its principles that I learned to be a mom.
References
THE FAMILY: A PROCLAMATION TO THE WORLD, The First Presidency and Council of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Successful Marriages and Families: Proclamation Principles and Research Perspectives Edited by Alan J Hawkins, David C. Dollahite, Thomas W. Draper (2016)
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