Whistle While you Work

I remember Saturdays at my house growing up. It was, at the time, not a day to look forward to. It was Saturday chore day. Chores were always (probably still are) something to get through so you get to the fun part of the day. Even when my children were small, it was the deal to get up Saturday, do the work, so we could go play. I have never doubted the value of hard work, it truly is a gift from God. But until reading my assignments this week, I am not sure I really could articulate the importance of working together in family life.

"When family members work together in the right spirit, a foundation of caring and commitment grows out of their shared experience. The most ordinary tasks, like fixing meals or doing laundry, hold great potential for connecting us to those we serve and with whom we serve." (Successful Marriages and Families). 

"Our family work has been designed to point our hearts toward the central reason we are here on the earth - to build a family. If children were never underfoot and only had to be fed once a day, parents would get distracted. But because they are spitting up on us, whining to us, dumping cereal on our floors, and saying 'Mommy' all day, there's no way we can forget where our focus needs to be."

It is in the home where children learn these skills.  And we, as parents, get the opportunity to work alongside them.