Many of you are familiar with the parable of The Ten Virgins. I have been thinking about that a lot lately. Maybe it's because of the sign of the times? Maybe it's because in many ways I don't feel ready? Either way, I think that we need to make sure that we all have plenty of oil in our lamps because the future is unsure right now. With that in mind, I think it's important that we also prepare our children. This post is going to discuss that very topic.
The first thing I think of is spiritual preparation. Not only does this include religion which is very important, but also being the kind of individual who can see beyond themselves and today. Our family attends church regularly and that helps so much in ways we can't even see right now. I know how hard it is.... believe me... to get up early and get kids ready to go to church each Sunday. However, I can definitely tell the difference when we get home. I can definitely feel the spirit and the following week is so much better. Service is a way to teach your children compassion and many other life lessons. We encourage our children to do service for others (including family members). In fact, this is a huge part of our religion and so I am thankful for that. Our oldest pays tithing on money he earns and that is such a big sacrifice for someone who doesn't make very much. He also donates money to organizations such as Unicef. The scouting program is also a big part of my boys' life. My oldest is about to become a Life Scout and my #2 is a Cub Scout. They have learned self-reliance as well as leadership skills that they will take with them throughout their lives.
The next thing that is important to teach our children is self-worth. When a child knows that he is loved then he is less likely to look for it in the wrong places. I see this happen time and time again. There are so many children who start doing drugs or get caught up in trying to do what is "popular" and it only leads them down the wrong path. I just pray that I am doing a good job teaching all of my children that I love them and that they have a Heavenly Father who also loves them very much.
Another thing that is important in preparing for the future is teaching children about the value of money and the value of work. There are so many children who are going to grow up and have the shock of their lives when they leave home and have to enter the work force. They are given everything without having to earn it and that sense of entitlement is what REALLY irks me about some young adults today. My children don't get an "allowance" because we have told them that there are certain things we do because we are part of the family. However, I give them opportunities to earn money all the time. My oldest is old enough to babysit and we pay him to help us out when we need it. I think it's important that he know we don't take him for granted and this ensures that he doesn't feel used. Giving children responsibilities, no matter how small they may seem, will teach them about the value of work and give them a feeling of belonging. That's so important.
In our family we value education. The best gift you can give your child is a good education. However, learning does NOT start and end in school. It should be a life-long process that begins in the home and continues on throughout your lifetime. There are so many things we take for granted that we learned through life experiences. It's up to us, parents, to teach our children these important lessons. Our children do not have some of the same opportunities we had such as being able to roam the neighborhood in safety or ride their bikes to the nearby store to get 5 cent candy. We need to teach our children about sex before they learn it from unreliable sources. Also, it's important to teach our children to have goals and how to achieve those goals. Receiving an education should be a top priority.
Teaching self-reliance is so important.... especially in times like these. We have no idea what the future holds and how the economy will be when our children grow up. However, if we teach our children how to mend clothes instead of buying new ones, or how to change the oil or a tire, or how to cook from scratch... those are valuable lessons that they can take with them and use if they need to. One day my boys will be going on missions for the church and I hope that they know how to do their own laundry, cook for themselves, and how to scrub a toilet. It's amazing how many grown men do not know how to do these things.
The last thing I want to discuss is kind of hard for me to even think about, but it's a reality. One day I won't be around anymore and I am hoping that it won't be for a very long time. However, one thing I have learned is that nothing in life is certain. We need to prepare OURSELVES spiritually, financially, and temporally for when that time comes. If you haven't already, make sure to prepare a good will. Make sure you have guardians for your children in case the unthinkable should happen to you and your spouse. Try to stay out of debt and save where you can. Make sure you have 72 hour kits for each of your family members. If you are able, follow the counsel to have a year's supply of food. All these things will ensure that no matter what happens, everything will be okay.
Let's not wait until it's too late. We all take it for granted that we live in such a peaceful environment. We have no idea of the wars that are going on around us in the world. We are blinded to the famine and hunger that exists. However, all this could change in an instant. We have heard many people say that things are going to get worse before they get better. We need to listen up!!
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Those who are prepared don't
need to fear.
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