Soap Box Again
"Unless children are trained to recognize duty as more binding than inclination, they will suffer all their lives through from their lack of dicipline in this direction." H. Clay Trumbull, Hints on Child Training.My friend Sarah loaned me this book and it is very encouraging. I like this quote particularly because it seems like so many people these days don't think about what they will have to do in life to survive. They just think about what they want to do, what sounds fun and nice. Well life is fun and nice, but it is also hard work and often times we don't get to do what we want to do, but what we have to do. My husband is a great example to me because he works very hard at a job he doesn't really love because we need the money and the benefits. Through prayer and discipline he has found a kind of satisfaction in his work, but it is a mature satisfaction, that of knowing you are providing for those you are responsible for, not that of being excited to go to work. Anyway, I want to teach my kids to be hard workers, not dreamers. There is a place for dreams and ideals, but I want my kids to work for those things and do what is right, not just what is easy and fun.
posted by Liz @ 12:06 PM
3 Comments:
Good thoughts - I wish more parents thought this way and raised their kids to think rather than do what is easy in life :)
I remember the first time I truly understood the freedom that comes with being able to do what I ought to do, versus being slave to my whims and preferences. Wow! Unfortunately, I still fail to remember as often as I should! :(
Talk to your kids about this. My dad is the one who first taught me this stuff--and it was "in the home," not at church or anything.
Thanks for the post. I am challenged personally, and for my children, as well.
A very good reminder.I know Tim and I both still struggle with this in ourselves because we were not raised with this mindset. Hopefully, we can raise our kids with a better understanding.
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