Help Them Serve

Good morning,

One of the best things my oldest daughter said to me recently was that she was thankful I made them do things for themselves when they were younger.

I was always a working mom and at times a student, so our house relied on the team approach. As a young, busy teacher and mom with a very hard working husband, we had to teach our children to be independent learners and help one another. What does that mean? Teach them to do things for themselves and be proud of what they accomplished. Then teach them to use those learned skills to serve others. Even if it means making peanut butter sandwiches for their siblings' lunches, folding socks to help with laundry, or pulling weeds in the garden.

Just teach them some of the small tasks you do for the family. Children love to emulate their parents, and if they feel like they are contributing to the well being of the family and serving one another, that's even better :)

Peace and blessings,
Lesa

"To maintain a joyful family requires much from both the parents and the children.  Each member of the family has to become, in a special way, the servant of the others."
Pope John Paul II