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10/16/2005: "October's home teaching message"

The full text can be found here.

I really enjoy our home teachers--they are insightful, dedicated and caring 'extended family'.

These words from James E. Faust's message encapsulate so much of how I feel about parenthood:
"Parenthood is the greatest challenge in the world [...] In my opinion, the teaching, rearing, and training of children requires more intelligence, intuitive understanding, humility, strength, wisdom, spirituality, perseverance, and hard work than any other challenge we might have in life."

"Child rearing is so individualistic. Every child is different and unique. What works with one may not work with another [...] It is a matter of prayerful discernment for the parents."

I feel that last line is key for how we are to move forward in our own parenting. Decisions made with prayer and love in accordance with Heavenly Father's will are what we strive for in rearing our children.

Sometimes people feel threatened when others make decisions that take them down a different path. It can cause one to wonder if one is mistaken, or to think that someone else must be judging them as errant. How grateful I am for the wisdom of a prophet to reaffirm to all of us that we must make the best decisions for our own families and to ignore the scorners (real or perceived) around us.

There has been some discussion about whether it is a waste of time/money/education to have college degreed women taking themselves out of the working arena to spend their time and efforts on rearing a family. My own opinion is that as parenting is one of the greatest challenges in life, all the education, knowledge, experience we possess would be a benefit to us in such an endeavor. "Formal education" doesn't do as much good as a love of life and learning, in my book.

Replies: 4 Comments

on Monday, October 17th, Tanya said

You know I have live both sides of the fence, I didn't mind my job but I hated working out of the home. I love to learn, and would gladly go back to school if I could. I think every woman should have some kind of degree or education, I don't care what it doesn't have to be college, it could be a trade, we live in a society where we really need it if some disaster should happen. But nothing is more important than our home, how are children are, and what they are doing. I'm not as good at it as my family, on both sides, but I know it is important. I loved this months Ensign so many good articles in it!
Hey come check out this blog, I'm having an interesting debate, I'm about ready to stop because no one seems to get my point, let me know what you think.
http://kmsiever.blogspot.com/2005/10/types.html

on Friday, October 21st, Moi said

I should have clarified that I was thinking that if you had to choose between one or the other, having a love of life and learning will carry you farther than being able to say "I went to a [insert prestigious school here] and got a [insert tpye] degree." The worls is full of 'educated fools', but those who truly value knowledge will find a way to add to it throughout their lives, no matter their current enrollment status.

on Friday, October 21st, Moi said

The worls is full of all tpyes of typos too =)

Yeah, Tanya, I can see why it would behoove you to quit beating a dead mosquito =)

Strangely enough, my first thought of mosquitos typifying was they come as a thief in the night to those who aren't prepared/watching. Weird, eh?

on Friday, November 11th, MomR said

I agree with you Téa especially your last paragraph. I also agree with Tanya's comment. Every young woman should be somehow trained in something. Even if it doesn't happen until her family is here or just about reared.

I took care of a young navy man years ago who had shot the head off a rattle snake then picked it up. It bit him. I was changing the dressing on his thumb, which was three sizes bigger than normal, and after the woman left whom I knew was his wife I asked him if he had children. He told me that "I guess I'm too selfish to have children." I told him that that was his decision but I would learn more and different things about life by having children than someone who doesn't have any. I can really see that it is the Lords way to teach us certain things for we will do things for our children that we will do for no one else. I hope you get this comment. it's only three weeks late.