Staying Home

I've always wanted to be a stay at home mom but yet at the same time had some concerns. Do you relate? My biggest concerns pertain to not continuing to grow and being stuck inside all the time. I'm a social girl, I like to get out and do fun things and learn! This week I read an article by Dennis Prager called, "Does a Full-Time Homemaker Swap Her Mind for a Mop?" This article was soo interesting and brought light and comfort to my concerns. One of the most intriguing parts of the article was when Prager stated, "the intellectual input she [a stay at home mom] can find is likely to be greater than most women (or men) find working outside the home." At first reading this statement I wondered how that could be true but his support made sense and was solid evidence that broadening intellectual horizons is not limited to the work force. Mothers at home listen to the radio and have to actively engage and make an effort to learn and more often then not, you learn more when you desire it. Plus, stay at home moms are around all sorts of knowledge every day as they listen to the news and radio and engage in their children's and husbands lives. How do you feel about woman staying at home? Does Prager change your opinion on the worth of staying home?

If you would like to read Dennis Prager's article visit: Mind for a Mop

Communication & Relationships

"We want to communicate not just so clearly that we are understood but so clearly that we cannot be misunderstood." - Harold B. Lee

I loved this quote by Harold B. Lee concerning communication. Communication is of key importance in our every day lives and especially in our relationships with those we love. Listening and speaking and expressing our thoughts and feelings are how we connect with others and feel that sense of love and understanding. There is no direct way to communicate thoughts and feelings but we share these thoughts and feelings through verbal communication, time spent, listening, touch and affection. Generally speaking communication is done with words at 14%, tone at 35% and non-verbal communication at 51%.

What kind of communication do you prefer? How do you communicate best with others? For a fun activity to see what your love language is take a quiz at http://www.5lovelanguages.com/assessments/love/

The Answer is Yes!

Looking at the family down the street they look perfect- everyone is getting along, there is no contention and they always seem to be happy! It's obvious to say though that not every moment in life is pleasant, even if it appears that way. Each day is a roller coaster of experiences and tests of patience, kindness, worth etc. especially in a family. Sometimes the moments are great though and truly bring your family closer together- an afternoon at the park, a movie and popcorn, a new baby being born, etc. Is it possible for the hard, trying, testing moments to bring you closer together as well? The answer- YES. It all depends on how you and your family respond to the crisis. Between a system of the actual event, the resources and reactions, and the perspective on the situation the overall experience of the event can have positive or negative effects on the family. It's important to realize how your family copes with crisis and when crisis arises to focus on it being a bonding experience rather than a destroyer of the home. No family is perfect and although crisis in the home is hard the answer is YES! It can bring you together. :)

One of my favorite quotes pertaining to family and how they work on unity is this:
"In our home we do second chances, we do thank yous, we do real, we do I'm sorry, we do love, we do laughter, we do mistakes, we do respect, we do happiness, we do dreams, we do faith, we do family."