*Train a child up: The importance of guiding young children.*
I grew up watching my mom cook, clean, and serve others my whole life. Never once did she complain or ask for any kind of thanks in return. The house was always cleaned and breakfast, lunch, and dinner was made EVERYDAY. Rain or shine.
She made it look so easy!
Being a wife and mom was way too easy, SHE had it pretty easy…
NOT!
God, how wrong was I?! So completely ignorant of life and adult responsibilities.
I had never realized how much my mom did for us and our family until became a mother myself. And I love her for that. She is an amazing mother, but there is something that I regret, something in fact, that we both regret. Its something we discuss on a daily basis…My parents never made us clean the house or cook.
Sure, they told my brother and I to clean our rooms as kids. But, we rarely listened and by day 3 of telling us to clean our rooms, I would come to a perfectly polished bedroom, toys picked up, clothes off the floor. And that was that. I avoided cleaning my room, because I always knew that it would be cleaned up.
By the time my parents realized they needed to buckle down on us cleaning the house more, we were know -it- all teenagers who had gotten away with not doing chores for so long.
I recall a few very specific times my dad had created and printed out a chore chart for us to follow. It worked for about a week and then it was forgotten about. We very rarely cleaned the bathrooms, and did yard work, but that is all we did, if at all.
So, now here I’m in my late 20’s, a wife, a mother, but yet, I STRUGGLE so hard with cleaning/organizing and cooking for my family.
I was never trained up in those areas as a child.
Now, my house isn’t a disaster, but it could definitely be a lot better, everyday I try to make improvements in those areas, and everyday I make little victories. It’s all about forward motion.
But, God, how I wish my parents who have forced us at a young age to start helping around the house, to give us consequences when we didn’t get our chores done.
As soon as my daughter was born, I vowed to myself that when she walking and semi-following directions I would start teaching her to cook, clean, and help mommy around the house. I try to do this with her while making it fun and enjoyable for her. I do not want her to be 30 years old and struggle with basic life responsibilities the way I do.
Teach them now while their brains are still little sponges, soaking in and remembering so many details. How they desire to learn from their parents and those they look up to.
 Teach them. It is never to early to start. One day they will thank you for it.
“Train up a child in the way he should go,
And when he is old he will not depart from it.”
PROVERBS 22:6
