For most people the word "home" evokes
feelings of security, happiness, and belonging.
The Family: A Proclamation
to the World teaches many important
principles about what should happen within the four walls of a home in order to
create these feelings. It is inside the home that relationships are
strengthened, children are taught, and joy is felt.
Families can work together to
make their home a sacred center for family life, a place where each family
member feels a sense of belonging and a place of refuge and shelter from the
outside world. When families create a sacred home, the comforting environment
nourishes each family member, strengthens relationships, and fosters learning
the important lessons of life.
Below are five important
elements of a home that is a sacred center for family life.
Sacrifice
When family members put
others' needs above their own, they impart holiness to themselves and to their
home. Learning to set aside your own needs and wants for others helps your loved
ones become happier and adds to your own happiness. When each member of the
family focuses on making others happy, everyone benefits.
Examples of how family
members might sacrifice for one another include:
- Save your spending money to
help a family member accomplish something, such as gaining an education,
or purchase something, such as a new bicycle.
- Take turns when playing
games and with toys or when watching favorite television shows.
- Allow another family member
to have the last piece of dessert.
Prayer
Prayer brings us closer to
God and inspires us to be more like Him. It softens hard feelings, reminds us
to be grateful, and provides in understanding how to better our lives. If homes
are filled with prayer, family members are more likely to look outside of
themselves when resolving difficult situations. Allowing the influence of God
to enter the home through prayer makes the home sacred and more enjoyable.
Here are some suggestions
about prayer in the home:
- Pray regularly and at set times so everyone knows in advance and
can participate. You may need to have more than one morning prayer if children
leave for school or work at different times.
- Give each family member a chance to pray. Teach children to pray
from the time they can speak. If they don't know what to say, prompt them as
they learn.
Work
Working together in the home
is an important part of family life. Through housework not only does the house
get clean, making your home a more inviting place, but also family members get
the opportunity to interact and spend time together. When parents work
alongside their children, the parent-child hierarchy dissolves and
communication opens up. Teaching your children to work while they are young
instills in them valuable character traits that will serve them well all their
lives.
Ways to encourage work in the
home include:
- Work beside your children, teaching them the skills of keeping up
a home. Working together breaks down barriers, allowing parents to grow closer
to children and siblings to grow closer to one another.
- Rotate daily and weekly chores so children don't get bored doing
the same tasks over and over. Be sure to keep chores age appropriate.
- Be clear about what you're assigning your children and what's
expected of them before they start. If you add on new tasks after a child
thinks he's finished, you likely will discourage him from working.
- Make work fun. Crank up the stereo and sing and dance while you
scrub. Plan a treat after everyone's tasks are accomplished.
Education
Parents prepare their
children to live in society by teaching them in the home about being
responsible, moral beings. Home is where children learn to speak, love others,
and care for themselves.
Here are basic suggestions
for teaching in the home:
- Read to your children when they are young, even before they can
talk. Reading time fosters bonding at the same time that it introduces children
to the skills that will help them become good speakers, readers, and writers.
- Make eating meals together a priority. Through dinner conversations
parents learn about their children's lives. Younger children, by listening to
conversations, can build their vocabulary.
- Teach children to respect their bodies by encouraging regular
exercise and providing healthy meals. Take time to teach your children about
the different food groups and the importance of eating a balanced diet.
Cultural Enrichment
Cultural enrichment and
entertainment in the home introduces your children to art, dancing, music, and
sports. Wide exposure helps children find hobbies and discover talents that
will stimulate their minds and feed their souls.
Here are suggestions about
providing cultural enrichment in your home:
- Invite your children to dance, draw, or participate in sports
with you. Participate at their level and encourage them as they learn. Provide
them with a safe environment to try new things.
- Take your children to see plays and concerts. Give them options
and let them choose which events they would like to go to.
- Know which culturally enriching activities you yourself enjoy and
participate in them, showing your children by example an appreciation for the
arts.
- Limit television watching. Use the extra time to be active or
creative by playing outdoors, practicing a musical instrument, drawing, or
reading.
Written by Jennifer
Crockett, Research Assistant, and edited by Stephen F. Duncan, Professor, School of Family Life, Brigham Young University.
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