here's my list:
in our family, we respect one another, and one another's belongings.
in our family, we lend a hand and meet in the middle.
in our family, dinner time is family time.
in our family, family comes first.
in our family, mama knows best :)
here's the message:
In Our Family...
by Carla Foote, Leadership Editor
I chose to nurse my children, and my philosophy was "on demand" which translated to "often." But as a new mom, I wasn't very confident, so parenting philosophies from my friends often caused me to question my choices. Was my "on demand" philosophy better or worse than my friend who kept her child on a schedule? Why did I need to compare my choices with hers anyway? In the first few months of mothering, I lacked confidence. However, it quickly became apparent to me that nursing wasn't the only area where parenting philosophies differed.Other moms and families made different choices on discipline, eating,
schedules, toys and more in the first few years. As my children grew, the
variations grew as well. Other moms and families allowed different movies, experiences and freedoms. Rather than comparing or judging the choices that different moms and families made, I found myself relying on this phrase, "In our family __________"* In our family we eat dinner without watching TV.
* In our family we don't call each other "stupid."
* In our family we wear helmets when we ride our bikes.
* In our family we sit and have a conversation with Grandma when we visit.
As my children grew they had more and more opportunities to see that other families had different rules, choices, patterns and habits. As a mom, I tried not to waste time and energy justifying every choice, boundary or rule, but rather would fall back on the phrase, "In our
family..." It became a safe place for my children to land as they grew older.
