No other success can compensate for failure in the home."
- President Gordon B. Hinckley
There's no question that Mormon's regard parenting very highly - we do our best to raise little children in the best way we know how (we are all still learning, always learning) and we do everything that we can to protect the "traditional" form of marriage and family. Even though we focus on this, no one is perfect. That's a part of being a growing and learning human being. So what can we do to be better?
Brother Bednar stated that motivation comes from within, that it starts from the heart and works its way out. Motivation does not come from punishments or rewards, which work from the outside.
When it comes to parenting, what are we supposed to do to guide our children if not by punishment and reward?
The answer is simple: teach. We are supposed to teach our children. Of course, for parents to be able to teach, they must first know themselves. (You're probably starting to notice how this first week of school is all about being willing to honestly learn, hmm?)
When it comes to parenting, there are two different forms of knowledge that we have been blessed with: the secular and the spiritual. We need to be open to both kinds of knowledge. However, it is important to note that we should look at the secular through the lens of our beliefs, and not the other way around. Allowing the secular to control our beliefs will cause seeds of doubt to be planted. Nonetheless, in any case, it is always important to involve the Lord in your parenting. Obviously, each child is different and He will best be able to guide you in how to raise your children to the best of their abilities.
Learning will also be easier when we go about it with the intentions of benefiting someone else. If you are going through books just to know something then all you are going to remember are just a bunch of facts; but if you go through it with the intent of benefiting other people, then you will really learn. Only then will we be motivated enough within ourselves to want to learn and remember everything that we are reading and be an influence for good in the world.
So to every parent or potential parent: start learning and begin teaching. It's a life-long process, one that is 110% worth it.
Brother Bednar stated that motivation comes from within, that it starts from the heart and works its way out. Motivation does not come from punishments or rewards, which work from the outside.
When it comes to parenting, what are we supposed to do to guide our children if not by punishment and reward?
The answer is simple: teach. We are supposed to teach our children. Of course, for parents to be able to teach, they must first know themselves. (You're probably starting to notice how this first week of school is all about being willing to honestly learn, hmm?)
When it comes to parenting, there are two different forms of knowledge that we have been blessed with: the secular and the spiritual. We need to be open to both kinds of knowledge. However, it is important to note that we should look at the secular through the lens of our beliefs, and not the other way around. Allowing the secular to control our beliefs will cause seeds of doubt to be planted. Nonetheless, in any case, it is always important to involve the Lord in your parenting. Obviously, each child is different and He will best be able to guide you in how to raise your children to the best of their abilities.
Learning will also be easier when we go about it with the intentions of benefiting someone else. If you are going through books just to know something then all you are going to remember are just a bunch of facts; but if you go through it with the intent of benefiting other people, then you will really learn. Only then will we be motivated enough within ourselves to want to learn and remember everything that we are reading and be an influence for good in the world.
So to every parent or potential parent: start learning and begin teaching. It's a life-long process, one that is 110% worth it.