Parenting

The last couple of weeks I would have to say have been frustrating as a parent. It seems that my two girls are fighting more, being defiant, not listening and my patience has been running very thin. In trying to figure out how to be a better mother I've been looking around for resources to help. It's been interesting as I've pondered what I should be teaching my children, especially with all the things the world tells me that I should teach. I have come to the basic conclusion of this: The only thing that matters the most is that they are spiritually strong. If they do not know that God loves them, that they can approach him in prayer, why they are here, how to be obedient and follow his commandments, a desire to do good and be Christlike, then nothing else matters. In the end when we leave this life we will judged on these things rather than how much worldly eduction we ever received or achievements we might have attained in this life. So it's made me evaluation how much time I'm spending teaching these things to my children or showing them by example. But in my gospel study on how to be a more effective and better parent. I ran across these two illustrations in the Family Home Evening manual put out by the church. I think they are great and can help me evaluate in those moments of stress, frustration and impatience, which way I am teaching. If it's not the Lord's way then most likely I'm the one that needs to be in timeout not my children.. time out to re - evlauate, ponder and get the spirit back. Here's the links for them:

Helping Family Members Live the Gospel
Reasoning With Children