Warm and supportive relationships between the parent and child
Warm and supporting relationships between the parent and child are necessary for a strong family. Mormonism is a great religion to practice because there is so much emphasis placed on families supporting one another. For example, in 1995, the LDS leaders published a document called The Family: A Proclamation to the World in which this type of support is outlined to its members:
Husband and wife have a solemn responsibility to love and care for each other and for their children. "Children are an heritage of the Lord" (Psalms 127:3). Parents have a sacred duty to rear their children in love and righteousness, to provide for their physical and spiritual needs, to teach them to love and serve one another, to observe the commandments of God and to be law-abiding citizens wherever they live…By divine design, fathers are to preside over their families in love and righteousness and are responsible to provide the necessities of life and protection for their families. Mothers are primarily responsible for the nurture of their children. In these sacred responsibilities, fathers and mothers are obligated to help one another as equal partners.[i]
In addition to informing the members about having these warm and supportive relationships, the church will help you achieve it. Each congregation has a Bishop, or leader that is available to give ecclesiastical advice and counseling. This type of loving relationship will be developed as your family spends quality time together during family prayer and scripture study. Children will trust you more because they will get to know you better. As you share activities, like going on the church sponsored father and sons campouts, you will have many opportunities to talk with your children and listen to their struggles.
Mormonism is one of many great religions to practice as a family because it will create a stronger family. With all the benefits that this religion provides, why would you want to try and create a strong family the hard way by not practicing a unified set of beliefs? Mormonism helps your family develop the six characteristics that define a strong family. It may be a huge lifestyle change to start practicing a religion, but the ability to be a strong loving family outweighs any cost.
[i] http://www.lds.org/library/display/0,4945,161-1-11-1,00.html
Showing posts with label Jarom. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Jarom. Show all posts
Mormonism: Monitoring, supervision, and involvement
Monitoring, supervision, and involvement
A strong family is involved with each other’s lives and there is supervision and monitoring. With Mormonism, the parents are able to be involved in their child’s life and make sure they are making the right decisions. But isn’t too much supervision a negative thing because it may push a child away? Children do need room to breathe, which makes Mormonism more appealing because you are not the lone monitor, but rather have many others to help supervise your children. The religion is volunteer based which means that the practitioners have “callings,” or volunteer responsibilities. This is so valuable to creating a strong family because children will have other adults who they can turn to for help and guidance. For example, there is a calling where a man is in charge of the youth group activities for teenage boys. This man will be able to supervise your child and help him make important life decisions. Similar programs are put in place for children and teenage girls. Research has shown that one of the greatest difficulties to having a strong family is divided beliefs. Professor’s Stokes and Regnerus from the Department of Sociology at the University of Texas concluded in their research that “When parents value religion more than their teens do, adolescents tend to report poorer relations with parents.”[i] These youth groups with their additional mentors will help your children discover their own beliefs, and together your family will share not only the same eye and hair colors, but a spiritual knowledge that will create a lasting bond.
[i] http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6WX8-4SWXDCJ-1&_user=10&_coverDate=03%2F31%2F2009&_rdoc=1&_fmt=&_orig=search&_sort=d&view=c&_acct=C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=cb3af825914c7d7daf0dee1c175206da
A strong family is involved with each other’s lives and there is supervision and monitoring. With Mormonism, the parents are able to be involved in their child’s life and make sure they are making the right decisions. But isn’t too much supervision a negative thing because it may push a child away? Children do need room to breathe, which makes Mormonism more appealing because you are not the lone monitor, but rather have many others to help supervise your children. The religion is volunteer based which means that the practitioners have “callings,” or volunteer responsibilities. This is so valuable to creating a strong family because children will have other adults who they can turn to for help and guidance. For example, there is a calling where a man is in charge of the youth group activities for teenage boys. This man will be able to supervise your child and help him make important life decisions. Similar programs are put in place for children and teenage girls. Research has shown that one of the greatest difficulties to having a strong family is divided beliefs. Professor’s Stokes and Regnerus from the Department of Sociology at the University of Texas concluded in their research that “When parents value religion more than their teens do, adolescents tend to report poorer relations with parents.”[i] These youth groups with their additional mentors will help your children discover their own beliefs, and together your family will share not only the same eye and hair colors, but a spiritual knowledge that will create a lasting bond.
[i] http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6WX8-4SWXDCJ-1&_user=10&_coverDate=03%2F31%2F2009&_rdoc=1&_fmt=&_orig=search&_sort=d&view=c&_acct=C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=cb3af825914c7d7daf0dee1c175206da
Mormonism: Communication and praise
Communication and praise
A strong family has good communication and praise. Being an active Mormon will help your family develop these characteristics. The LDS church has several programs which provide opportunities for you to show your approval and praise for children. Starting at a young age, children in grade school can work towards earning religious awards that demonstrate their knowledge and application of gospel beliefs. During their teenage years, the church provides Boy Scouts of America groups where men can work towards earning merit badges. Women also have an award which they earn as they demonstrate values (like faith, virtue, knowledge etc) important to maturing into womanhood. The church holds recognition ceremonies for both of these achievements. Mormonism is such a great lifestyle because by providing these opportunities, positive praise can be expressed. You will be nourishing and strengthening your relationship with your children.
Is practicing a religion the only way to develop good communication and praise? You could still put your kids in Boy Scouts and other extracurricular activities that will result in helping your children know of the love and praise you have for them. However, practicing Mormons enjoy these benefits with little additional cost. You could send your child to a summer camp and end up spending hundreds of dollars. Or, as a Mormon, your child can go to the church sponsored youth camps where they still do extremely fun activities, but without the bank breaking cost. Another benefit to your children is that they will be interacting in these extracurricular activities with children from the local congregation. This will make it easier for them to make friends who share the same religious and moral values.
A strong family has good communication and praise. Being an active Mormon will help your family develop these characteristics. The LDS church has several programs which provide opportunities for you to show your approval and praise for children. Starting at a young age, children in grade school can work towards earning religious awards that demonstrate their knowledge and application of gospel beliefs. During their teenage years, the church provides Boy Scouts of America groups where men can work towards earning merit badges. Women also have an award which they earn as they demonstrate values (like faith, virtue, knowledge etc) important to maturing into womanhood. The church holds recognition ceremonies for both of these achievements. Mormonism is such a great lifestyle because by providing these opportunities, positive praise can be expressed. You will be nourishing and strengthening your relationship with your children.
Is practicing a religion the only way to develop good communication and praise? You could still put your kids in Boy Scouts and other extracurricular activities that will result in helping your children know of the love and praise you have for them. However, practicing Mormons enjoy these benefits with little additional cost. You could send your child to a summer camp and end up spending hundreds of dollars. Or, as a Mormon, your child can go to the church sponsored youth camps where they still do extremely fun activities, but without the bank breaking cost. Another benefit to your children is that they will be interacting in these extracurricular activities with children from the local congregation. This will make it easier for them to make friends who share the same religious and moral values.
Mormonism: Everyday routines
Everyday routines
Everyday routines are another way to strengthen a family, and becoming a Mormon will add structure to your family. Research shows that, “Families that tend to have regular routines and roles usually have children who do well in school and have greater self-control. Keeping these everyday routines (like eating together and doing household tasks) is associated with positive outcomes for adolescents. They are more likely to avoid delinquent behavior and less likely to use drugs.”[i] What parent wouldn’t want those great outcomes for their child[ren]? Mormons practice something called daily family scripture study and prayer. These are great daily routines because they provide opportunities for family members to develop certain roles. For example, the father who gathers everybody for prayer/scripture study, and the children who follow along and help read. Mormonism is also a great religion because it promotes a strong work ethic. Their own religious text says that they, “[Should] be anxiously engaged in a good cause…”[ii] Children learn to work hard with church orchestrated community service projects. Because Mormonism has such a strong practice of everyday routines, it will create a more unified family.
Aren’t having too many activities harmful to a family because they become too busy? Imagine a mom’s schedule where she picks her child up from school and runs him to his baseball game while the daughter wonders what she is going to do for her science fair project. Next she is at the grocery store, picking up the dry cleaning, and before dinner she has to not only cook the meal, but also make sure the dog is taken care of. After dinner it is baths and story time. How on earth are you to fit all the additional activities which Mormonism provides into your already hectic schedule? Practicing a religion does add more “To Do’s” to that already busy list but those religious activities can be incorporated into the activities you already perform. This way you are still doing the things you love, but with a religious twist you are adding more structure and unity to your family. Take the mom’s schedule described earlier as an example. Instead of looking at the day as a list of errands, the family tries to make the busy schedule an effective use of time by incorporating the Mormon lifestyle. The mother still drops her son off at baseball but they decide to go to the game together as a family for Family Home Evening (FHE) -with the dog. While the son is playing, the family is providing loving support as they watch from the stands. They continue their family night by picking up the dry cleaning and groceries. At home they work on preparing dinner, and use the potato skins and corn husks to start the daughter’s compost pile for her science fair project. They conclude their Family Home Evening with a family prayer. Next it is baths, and as the kids settle into bed, they read together from the Bible. Being Mormon didn’t replace what the family did or make their lives too busy; it added structure and routine which enhanced the strength of the family.
[i] http://missourifamilies.org/features/parentingarticles/parenting25.htm (Accessed June 12, 2009)
[ii] Doctrine and Covenants, section 58, verse 26-24
Everyday routines are another way to strengthen a family, and becoming a Mormon will add structure to your family. Research shows that, “Families that tend to have regular routines and roles usually have children who do well in school and have greater self-control. Keeping these everyday routines (like eating together and doing household tasks) is associated with positive outcomes for adolescents. They are more likely to avoid delinquent behavior and less likely to use drugs.”[i] What parent wouldn’t want those great outcomes for their child[ren]? Mormons practice something called daily family scripture study and prayer. These are great daily routines because they provide opportunities for family members to develop certain roles. For example, the father who gathers everybody for prayer/scripture study, and the children who follow along and help read. Mormonism is also a great religion because it promotes a strong work ethic. Their own religious text says that they, “[Should] be anxiously engaged in a good cause…”[ii] Children learn to work hard with church orchestrated community service projects. Because Mormonism has such a strong practice of everyday routines, it will create a more unified family.
Aren’t having too many activities harmful to a family because they become too busy? Imagine a mom’s schedule where she picks her child up from school and runs him to his baseball game while the daughter wonders what she is going to do for her science fair project. Next she is at the grocery store, picking up the dry cleaning, and before dinner she has to not only cook the meal, but also make sure the dog is taken care of. After dinner it is baths and story time. How on earth are you to fit all the additional activities which Mormonism provides into your already hectic schedule? Practicing a religion does add more “To Do’s” to that already busy list but those religious activities can be incorporated into the activities you already perform. This way you are still doing the things you love, but with a religious twist you are adding more structure and unity to your family. Take the mom’s schedule described earlier as an example. Instead of looking at the day as a list of errands, the family tries to make the busy schedule an effective use of time by incorporating the Mormon lifestyle. The mother still drops her son off at baseball but they decide to go to the game together as a family for Family Home Evening (FHE) -with the dog. While the son is playing, the family is providing loving support as they watch from the stands. They continue their family night by picking up the dry cleaning and groceries. At home they work on preparing dinner, and use the potato skins and corn husks to start the daughter’s compost pile for her science fair project. They conclude their Family Home Evening with a family prayer. Next it is baths, and as the kids settle into bed, they read together from the Bible. Being Mormon didn’t replace what the family did or make their lives too busy; it added structure and routine which enhanced the strength of the family.
[i] http://missourifamilies.org/features/parentingarticles/parenting25.htm (Accessed June 12, 2009)
[ii] Doctrine and Covenants, section 58, verse 26-24
Mormonism: Spending Time together
Spending time together
Spending time together is another quality of a strong family, and the religious lifestyle of a Mormon revolves around interacting with each other. Being a Mormon is great for spending time together as a family because the Mormon religion has certain activities families do together, outside of the usual watching television or traveling. The church specifically sets apart one night a week (typically Monday) for “Family Home Evening.” You will be able to have this family time devotedly solely to interacting with each other in a fun way. Families typically do activities like play games, go see a movie, or work together on a family project. Imagine the type of love and cohesion that will exist as your family spends more time together creating lasting memories. This religious lifestyle also enables families to spend time together by worshipping each week. Families can sit together in church and learn more about religion in a unified environment. The LDS church is great for allowing families to spend time together.
Spending time together is another quality of a strong family, and the religious lifestyle of a Mormon revolves around interacting with each other. Being a Mormon is great for spending time together as a family because the Mormon religion has certain activities families do together, outside of the usual watching television or traveling. The church specifically sets apart one night a week (typically Monday) for “Family Home Evening.” You will be able to have this family time devotedly solely to interacting with each other in a fun way. Families typically do activities like play games, go see a movie, or work together on a family project. Imagine the type of love and cohesion that will exist as your family spends more time together creating lasting memories. This religious lifestyle also enables families to spend time together by worshipping each week. Families can sit together in church and learn more about religion in a unified environment. The LDS church is great for allowing families to spend time together.
Mormonism: an example of how a religious lifestyle creates a stronger family
“Mormonism is the fastest growing faith group in American history according to U.S. News & World Report, which reports that if present trends continue there could be 265 million members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (LDS) worldwide by 2080.”[i] With the growth of this Christian church skyrocketing, many are wondering what makes this faith so popular. As someone who grew up in the Mormon faith, I can promise that having a strong united family is essential to happiness within the home. Mormonism currently serves as the fourth largest Christian sect in America, which begs the question: What are the consequences of being an active Mormon on your family?[ii]
Positive mental health in parents
Research shows that positive mental health in parents creates stronger families: “Children whose parents say that they feel calm, peaceful or happy are more likely than other children to be positively involved in school and less likely to act out or have emotional problems.”[iii] Involving your family with the Mormon faith will make your family stronger because the LDS religion promotes positive mental health through temple worship. Amy, an active Mormon, describes the benefits of temple worship as strengthening her mental health: “I love the temple. I am so grateful that my husband and I were able to be sealed in the temple. Now, I feel like our family is complete. The temple is such a peaceful, beautiful place where you can feel God's spirit so strong.”[iv] Mormons believe that families are eternal, meaning that they will be together in the next life once they are “sealed”, or married for eternity in the temple. This temple worship will help you develop a stronger family because you will have more peace and happiness in your life.
[i] http://www.cbn.com/spirituallife/churchandministry/evangelism/mormons_are_fastest_growing_religion.aspx (Accessed June 12, 2009)
[ii] http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1904146,00.html (Accessed June 12, 2009)
[iii] http://missourifamilies.org/features/parentingarticles/parenting25.htm (Accessed June 12, 2009)
[iv] http://hubpages.com/hub/Mormon-sacred-temple-ceremony-inside (Accessed June 12, 2009)