The following hung on our wall growing up - and my mother (with 8 children) truly believed and lived it:
Cleaning and scrubbing can wait 'til tomorrow,
for babies grow up we've learned to our sorrow.
So, quiet down cobwebs; dust go to sleep.
I'm rocking my baby, and babies don't keep.
A couple of years ago, our family was rushing about frantically - trying to get six kids and two parents to every activity we could cram into a schedule for at least five over-achievers (my oldest son and I don't always fit that description). My wife and I made the conscious decision to slow down, let go of everything except the one thing that each child wanted to do most and have more time to spend together as a family.
It was one of the best decisions we have ever made.
4 comments:
AMEN! It is amazing the difference it has made in our lives. Now that the kids are almost all adults, (scary huh) we keep giving our kids the same advice. Slow down, take time for the most important things that bring you the greatest joy. Leave behind those things that bring you more stress or take away from the Spirit.
I often wonder how parents in families larger than mine (3 kids) manage to cope. With all of the running around, laundry, feeding etc, there is little time left. I want to be a fly on the wall in your house! I had that saying hanging on the wall in our nursery - sometimes I live by it.
Christy - oh no you don't want to be a fly on the wall at our house!!! You would hear a lot of bickering, laughter, tears, and screams. It's not a very quiet place. :) We do a fairly good job but we are by no means perfect!
Tasha, I think that is one of the most important lessons we can learn!
We're a loud family too. We sit in the second row at church (the first is empty of course so it might as well be the first row) right in the middle and we lack the proper reverence sometimes. I blame my husband who makes comments like "Sean forgot to put his rear end in his pants" as he looks at him standing at the sacrament table.
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