homemaking with heart
Sometimes I have an “a ha” and then just 30 seconds later think about how my new realization is so simple and obvious, it’s lame that it was an “a ha” to begin with! And this post is an a ha I had this morning.
What do I want for my daughters as they grow up? Lots of things. For starters, I want them to have opportunities and education and laughter and joy. Today I’ve been thinking about wanting, so deeply, for them to want to desire and love homemaking – creating a loving family and peaceful, happy home for that own little family they’ll build. There is no more important job on earth, and it’s the thing that brings me the most joy, so of course I want my daughters to know that same sense of fulfillment – women were born for this! – and happiness. That seems so far down the road, but they’ll never get there if they don’t have that desire. And how am I helping to grow that desire in their little souls when they hear me complain about my homemaking duties? Why would any of my children desire to have or be something that I complain about or avoid? I don’t complain a lot verbally, but I wonder what my body language conveys about how I feel?
Today I was just really aware that I need to be so much more cheerful about doing the tasks that are my job, even the ones I don’t love. And if I can’t be positive, I just need to turn the music on and watch the littles dance while I do whatever thing it is I’m not wanting to do. Because then they’ll at least see me smiling while doing the chore, and they probably won’t know it’s from watching them, NOT from cleaning out the fridge.
Your children are being raised in the most loving and caring environment. When they grow up in a house like yours they can’t help but want to have a family when they are grown like the one they grew up in.
…and I will love them all day long and give them cookies and milk and yellow balloons….
I agree, but I also think it’s good for them to see that it’s not all fun and games and cookies and milk and yellow balloons….that some of it is WORK and it’s hard and it’s still worth it. I don’t know how to convey that….I just feel it?
this is so true! we had a woman in our ward speak to the RS about her mother who was always singing while doing laundry (by hand), ironing(with the kind youheat up on the stove) etc…. She said she always happy and smiling. I am a grouchy cleaner andneed tochange that!
I have thought about that too. I do not love many of the things I have to do as a mother (single mother), but I do it because I love my children and love to serve them. I’m afraid that too often I don’t let that love and joy show when my children see me cleaning or frantically cooking so I can get back to studying for a test the next day or whatever. Thanks for the reminder!
I so needed to read this! It was an a-ha moment for me!
I hadn’t thought of it like that – hopefully I can put on a cheerful attitude now as I go about the things I am lucky to do. Thanks!