Intentionally Building the Future

Intentionally Building the Future

With the exciting announcement that was made in General Conference yesterday about young men and young women having the opportunity to serve missions at younger ages I feel stronger than ever how important it is for me as a mother to help prepare them for the opportunity to serve the Lord and to prepare them to have successful families.  Here are some of my thoughts that I recorded in April of 2012 about the importance intentionally building the future now:

It is late and I am exhausted.  The kids are finally in bed and I am dreaming about climbing into my bed, but a sink full of dishes is starring me in the face.  There are school papers by the phone that need to be signed for the kids to return to school tomorrow and laundry in the dryer.  So much of our time as mothers is spent in mundane daily tasks.  Do we realize that we are building the future one diaper change and one meal at a time?  Despite the tedious daily tasks I realize there are many things I do to build the future.  As a mother of six young children I am passionate about marriage and families.  My husband and I want to pass that passion for family life on to the next generation by intentionally building the future through family scripture study, dinner as a family, daily chores, and life skills that will bless our children now and in the future. 

Family Scripture Study

Taking time to teach your children values and beliefs is such an important part of being a mother.  For our family we meet in the family room every morning before my husband leaves for work and we have the older children take turns reading directly from the scriptures.  The younger children enjoy when we use Bible story pictures to teach them important lessons.  Through our scripture study we have been able to teach values, teach them where to find answers to their questions, and reinforce that we need God and Jesus Christ to direct our lives. 

Family Dinner Time

Planning and preparation are essential for a successful family mealtime.  After all the hard work to get dinner on the table it usually turns chaotic when someone spills their milk and a messy toddler throws food on the floor.  It is worth the effort when you realize that the benefits to health and family unity far out way the chaos.  I also see how it will bless their lives in the future.  When my husband and I were newlyweds I appreciated the fact that he was willing to eat anything that I cooked.  By introducing our children to a variety of foods now we are able to prepare them for future missions and marriage.

Daily Chores

Let’s face it, to keep a house running smoothly there is a lot of work to do!  In the April 2012 General Conference, Elder Ballard said, “Give your children responsibilities in the home that will teach them how to work.”  We have involved our children in the daily routine to maintain order.  I imagine our six year old as a father who won’t be afraid to wipe the bathroom counter and polish the faucet.  Our three year old will be amazingly quick at unloading the silverware when he grows up!  Starting their future family will be so much easier because they have already acquired the skills necessary to manage a home. 

Life Skills

Our oldest daughter is turning ten years old and I am realizing how quickly the growing up years fly by.  Realizing that her years in our home are more than half over I wondered, “What do I want our children to know before they leave our home?”  I sat down and made a list of the skills I want them to learn and we have incorporated them into our daily life.  Some examples are: learn to sew, learn to cook, learn basic repairs, learn to make bread, and care for younger siblings.

I would like our kids to be able to have simple skills to build and fix things.  I decided to involve them in building project to teach them simple skills.  I envisioned a wooden centerpiece for our dining room table filled with grass.  I had seen similar items for sale in stores, but wanted an extra long wooden box.  We figured out measurements and went to home depot to get the needed wood and nails.  I had the kids help me nail it together, sand, and paint.  It was so fun to find out who is the most talented at pounding a nail in straight and who is most patient and tediously sanding the wood.  It was a great way to teach the kids basic skills for life.  

We live in a world that does not teach our children the value of a strong family.  It is up to us to teach the importance of family life and do all we can to prepare our children for their future family life.   Even through the mundane daily dishes we receive satisfaction that we are building the future.          

 What simple daily rituals do you have that help build the future?

Write down a few simple things you would like to teach your children before they grow up.