Some parenting insight from a GREAT MAN

This weekend was quite a busy one, especially for my hubby. We had the privilege of having President Dahlquist, General President of the Young Men's, come visit for a regional conference. It was such a big deal that everything that was planned for the wards and stakes were cancelled so that we could attend. Friday night was a fireside for the youth and all youth leaders, so my hubby took T and they loved it. It was only for 14 and up, so M couldn't go. I guess he just told stories the whole time and I hear everyone was mesmerized with him. Then Saturday morning, he held a training meeting for all leaders of youth. So for 4 hours, hubby got to learn from him. He said he couldn't believe how fast the time went it was so good. Then that evening, they had another fireside but this one was only for the parents of youth. So I was happy to finally get to hear him speak. It was wonderful. It is amazing how good he is at speaking as he used no notes. He gave us some insight on how to help our children, how to teach them and raise them up right. So I would like to pass on that insight to you and hopefully it will be of some use for you.

He said there are three things we need to concentrate on:

1. Strengthen the Family
He told great stories about how he and his wife taught their 5 daughters while they were growing up. He said his wife decided one day that they needed to learn poetry, so they memorized poems in FHE. He spouted several of them from memory, some totally funny and others poignant. He even quoted one from the Bernstien Bears. He also said that the FHE manual that came out in 1970 had a new song in the back of the book - "Teach me to Walk in the Light". They have sung that song every FHE since then. When he travels and is away from home on Monday night, he would call home and they would sing the song together over the phone. He stressed to always stick to having FHE, family scripture study and family prayer no matter how hard it might be to find a good time to do it. NEVER GIVE UP!!

2. Strengthen the Kingdom
It doesn't matter what calling you hold in the church-all callings teach the youth of the church in some way or another. Always do your best in the calling that you hold and know that there is a purpose for you to be there and that they are watching you. The youth, not just your children, will see what you do and how you do it and they will learn from watching you.

3. Strengthen the Boy
(He talked about the YM, but he did say that this also refers to YW)
Be there for them and support them in whatever they are doing. Be there to cheer them on. Teach them to do hard things. (I really liked hearing this as my children seem to think that some things are too hard and then I feel bad that I am making them do it) Encourage them all along the way-help them to know they can do it. By doing this, they will be prepared for their missions. Remind them often they are Sons of God! Also, help them to have positive things to help them know who they are--that reinforces who they are. His suggestions were things that could be in their bedrooms on their walls, i.e. temple pictures, mission sayings, picture of Christ, etc. He stated that work is something that you may not want to do but you stick with it until it is done. (I liked that because just that morning, my son was working on a yard that he was hired to take care of for the summer. Since it is now fall, the owner had told him all the things she wanted him to do to get it ready for the winter like raking the leaves, trimming the flowers and shrubs, weeding, mowing, fertilizing and so on. It was a big job so while my hubby was at the church meetings in the morning, I went and helped him. At one point, only about an hour into the job, he commented to me how this was boring and he just wanted to mow. At that time, we was on his knees weeding the flower beds and trying to get all the many leaves up from inbetween the plants. I know that he was thinking that if it was time to mow, then he would be done after that. I tried to explain to him that this was good for him and it needed to be done right for him to get paid for it. It got me thinking that maybe I am not teaching him well enough for him to get the message? But, after hearing what Pres. Dahlquist said about work, maybe he really is getting the message. Maybe there is hope as I know he felt good about getting it done and how it looked)

What a wonderful man. You could just feel the sprit in the chapel as he spoke to us that night. I only wish I could have attended more of the meetings. It was truly inspirational. And I know that all who attended (adults and youth) were filled with a deeper desire to do better, to be a better Latter-day Saint.