Where a Kid Can Be a Kid and a Parent Can Love Being a Parent

As my recent blog posts have indicated, I've had a glorious week with my children.  Roll your eyes if you'd like, but I've actually enjoyed potty-training Autumn this week.  Scarlett has been ever-so-helpful and responsive to my loving gestures.  And Guy has been a snuggly little instigator of fun.  

These are the weeks that I LOVE BEING A MOM.

I've also realized that our home is a pretty great place for a kid to be a kid.  We've worked really hard in recent years to make our home a place where children can feel welcome and free, where they have enough things to be responsible for, but not too much, where they are expected to work, and are taught how to do a job well, where they can be free from harmful media, free to think, free to read, free to create at will, and where there is time for laughter, even amidst the hard moments.  I'm happy about the current state of affairs around here.  Very, very happy.

Here are a few things that we've done recently that has made a big difference in the spirit of our home:

Banished the TV during the day.

Thinned out the Toys.

Started a Chore Chart.

Gave books a prominent position in our living room.

Told lots of stories.

Yelled less (or tried to).


Listened to my kids more.

Said NO when our kids wanted to watch a movie that we thought wasn't good for them and explained the reason why.

Listened to Primary Music/Conference talks while doing our normal daily routine.

Snuggled whenever they wanted to and every time they wanted to.

Gave "bam-baids" for their "boo-boos" EVERY time they asked.


Played Play dough a lot.

Reminded them that they have a choice not to fight back.

Reaffirmed to them that we defeat the adversary with every good choice that we make.


Did karaoke...a lot.

Had our yearly child-parent interviews.

Said NO to candy/prizes when they asked (read: cried/whined for it) and stuck to it.


Said YES  to my kids requests whenever I could, and as enthusiastically as I could.

Colored together during FHE, while I read them a book about the Parables of Christ.

Attempted to Memorize "K" of the Family Proclamation ABCs.

Baked "shamrock" cookies together after school (Thank you, Pillsbury).


Played in our wheat sandbox.


I slowed down enough to allow the Spirit to teach me about the specific needs of my children..........that Scarlett just wants to talk (and talk and talk) to Mommy, and Guy just wants to snuggle with me, and Autumn wants to demonstrate her ability to choose for herself.  And they ALL just want to make us proud of them...and we ARE so very proud.

Have we had bad/ugly/sad/gross moments this week?  Yes, we have, but somehow the good moments, while they might not have even out-numbered the unpleasant ones, have managed to outweigh the not-so-scrapbook-worthy ones.  And how?  By doing what it says in the Family Proclamation, this line in particular which we've been memorizing this week:


"Successful marriages and families are established and maintained on principles of faith, prayer, repentance, forgiveness, respect, love, compassion, work, and wholesome recreational activities."


There has indeed been a lot of repenting and forgiving by each of us that has enabled us to respect and love each other and to treat each other with compassion.  It has allowed us to work together and to play together, and to just enjoy each passing day together, despite our weaknesses...despite MY weaknesses.


I wish I had time to share in detail each blessing that has come into our lives this week as a result of implementing the truths found in The Family Proclamation and from listening to a prophet's counsel, but I just don't.  


I'm just telling you this, because I have a testimony that the Family Proclamation is extremely powerful and true, and that anyone who follows it can experience true and lasting love at home, supreme happiness in their role as a parent and a spouse, and find a way to overcome the challenges that hit every home, every day, in every situation.  The Family Proclamation is improving my life by leaps and bounds, and I want to shout it from the rooftops!

It is inspired.  It is true.  It is the revealed word of God.  

It is an incredible blessing.

Have a great weekend everyone!

PS - I had so much fun this week, that I didn't even stop to take pictures.

THAT should tell you something.