Unspoken Family Rules

Every home and family has rules. Clean your room before you can go to a friends house and play, make your bed and do your chores are a few examples. Many of these rules are displayed on the fridge or in an area of the home that everyone can see them and be reminded of what is expected. But what about those rules that are unseen and unspoken? This is kind of a hard topic to grasp since the unspoken rules are generally simply accepted and not questioned. However, they are important rules and its important to realize what they are because many times they effect how the family functions.

Looking at my own family/ extended family/ other families at the store and in the neighborhood I noticed some of the unspoken rules to be that you don't talk back to mom no matter what, hugging both parents before bed is part of being tucked in, children are supposed to listen the first time a parent asks them to do something and acting out is the quickest way to receive attention. Not all unspoken rules are positive but each has an impact on the family and how the family functions.

What are some of the unspoken family rules in your home?

Decisions.. Decisions!!

You wake up in the morning and are faced with many decisions. Some are simple such as: what should I eat for breakfast? What should I wear? Others are more complex: Where should I apply for a job so I can support my family? Where am I going to get food to feed my children? All of these questions have their own significance and importance. However, have you ever considered the question "how many children should I have?" Do you believe this question is not only life altering but also world changing?

Believe it or not, it is both. This is a very complex question with many opposing viewpoints and ideas. On a world changing view, some believe that the world is becoming over populated and that birthrate needs to slow down otherwise we will not have the means to support each individual life. Others believe that birth rates are dropping quickly and although life expectancy is longer than it has ever been, the average household is having less and less children, if any at all, which is going to decrease our world population in future years to the point of struggle and financial burden. In fact, fertility rates have been dropping for some time and they continue to drop. There are many factors to fertility rate and the outcomes of it decreasing. Deciding to have children is a big decision- probably one of the biggest a man and woman can make.

I belong to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Our church views having children as important and a necessity in our lives. It is our responsibility to bring children into the world and care for them and nurture them in a way that will help the reach their potential and live with our loving Heavenly Father again someday. Deciding to have children/ the number of children a couple has is between them and the Lord so judgements should not be made. But when thinking about our responsibility to create eternal families that will live together forever, children are essential and it is part of our duty to bring them into this world.

Life is full of decisions. The topic of fertility rates decreasing and whether it is good or bad is deep and complex but without a doubt choosing to have children is a serious decision that should be handled with care. What are your thoughts and opinions on birthrate/ fertility?

Want to Learn More?
For more information on Infertility view the video A Demographic Winter:
Part One: The Demographic Winter
Part Two: The Demographic Winter
For more information on The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints visit:
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints

Do you like what you see on this blog?? At the bottom of the page there is a list of other blogs similar to mine which also pertain to family relations. Check them out!