In addition to the Rev. Farris' baker's dozen of top rules for parenting, I've come across some good ideas for parenting lately that I thought I'd record here mostly so I can remember them, but also for any others who are interested.
Our co-worker Jacque shared some gut-bustingly hilarious stories last week about trying to maintain a household (with teen-agers) that goes against the flow in certain ways. I'd like to talk with her more about specifics, but two things she mentioned that she and her husband do are:
- Dry clothes on a clothesline outdoors when the weather is nice.
- Take a month off from TV in the summer.
...of course, this is provided we would have television in our house. And a clothesline seems like such a simple thing, but it's really emblematic of frugality, connection with nature, conservation, patience and intentionality. Jacque's kids say, "Mom! Why can't we just throw our clothes in the drier?!" And there's a good answer--ultimately related to holiness.
Also, one of our students has been sharing with me how much she learned when her parents asked her to "earn her keep" last summer by preparing one meal a week for the family. Not only did she come to appreciate her parents' efforts to put a freshly prepared hot meal on the table every night in spite of full-time jobs, she also gained practical experience, learned to think outside of herself on the days she would have just had a bowl of cereal for dinner, and realized a developing appreciation for the significance of food beyond nutrition.
