Fatherhood

I didn't realize how much fathers can really impact children's lives, it can even impact their development.  Fathers have a different way of approaching and parenting their children than mothers do.  They have a different way of communicating and interacting with their child.  This gives the child a better outlook of how to have a good experience. Fathers build confidences, they are pushing their children’s limits knowing that they can do it. Fathers communicate differently and they are likely to expand the child’s vocabulary and challenges them. Fathers discipline differently than mothers do- fathers are about being fair, justice and duty.  They tend to stand firm on those types of things to teach children right from wrong.  Fathers prepare children for the real world- they are able to learn the consequences in the way that they behave and how that can affect the way that they will behave in the real world.  I have seen my father do these things, and how I approach my mother differently than I approach my dad.  Even though my dad and I don't really talk much, I feel like we are closer than I feel with my mother.  I can't wait for my husband to become a father and I know that he will be a great one, our children will be blessed to have a great father and 2 great grandfathers to provide those these in thier lives. 

Family Stress

This lesson was a great lesson- it was mostly Brother Williams talking about his family.  It was a way for him to explain the dynamics of it and how it can work out in the end.  It was really interesting to learn about his family and everytime he does it, I automatically start thinking about my family and compare how we have handled things in our lives. It's interesting how everything works out and how it may not.  It's important that parents have a good relationship/communication in order to keep the family out stress.  It can be one major event that could change everything if they don't have that and then that really impacts the kids if there's any involved and how they feel or handle things.   Brother Williams's family was the perfect example and how his parents struggled because of one event and the marriage was barely hanging on, then something else major happened- they changed how they handled it and thier marriage/family became stronger because of it. 

Aging Family

This is the last post for this class and I've pretty much kept up with all the topics throughout the semster.  This class has been really awesome and beneficial.  Brother Williams really knowledgeable and I've appreciate his outlook on Family/Marriage- I have learned a lot and definately has helped me learn how to react to things and has given me an outlook on other families/marriages.  

Aging family was the last topic and we talked about it very breifly but mainly we talked about married couples who are now "empty nesters" and where they are in that point in life.  Aging families happens at different ages depending if the children are out of the home and such, apparently Steve Martin just became a father at age 67.  We discussed what those couples tend to be doing- some may be retired and interacting with grandchildren, some kids who are married may have moved back in the home or parents may have moved in with one of their chilren.  It is so vastly different for each family and where they are in life.  Its hard for me to imagine that one day I'll wake up being married for 30 years and see all these things occuring in my life. But just like anything in life, we have to progress and adjust to life as it comes. 

Blending Families

Blending families is a challenge for some.  Those who blend families are those who are typically widowed or divorced.  Blending families on both side can be difficult for children who may have been close with thier other parents (if they died) and feel that another person coming in is taking their place.  Some of the tips that they gave in class/book that those who are blending families should not jump right in and become the parent. They need to communicate with their spouse of how they want to parent the child/children and then sit together as a group and dicuss some of the things and provide comfort that they are not there to replace thier other parent but to be there for them and be apart of thier lives.  Sometimes blending families can take years to finally become accepting and become a family.  I have seen it in a couple families I know and it seems like it would be a hard thing to do and something that takes work to get to the final product- a family.  I really enjoyed having Brother Williams and his wife in class discussing their experiences of blending families and not all families are the same but to have that example of that it can work and it takes time and a lot of communication between the spouse and the children.

Parenting

Oh how I'll be able to enjoy the blessings that come from parenting soon- I won't lie, it scares me! I thought that it was interesting that we started out with the whole Supreme Court deal whether marriage should be between a man and wife or if we should allow gay/lebians to be able to have that right to be married to each other.  Everything that we've learned this semester kind of tied in of why birth rates may be lower than it used to be.  People just wait to have children or don't have children because they don't want to bring a child into this society that we live in.  I have contemplated that a few times when we talked about having kids and how scary it is to bring them in because of everything that they will be surrounded in.  The world is a scary/crazy place.  My husband and I knew that is why we were sent to earth and the blessing we can get from being parents.  It won't be easy but it is truely a blessing.  As we learned about the styles of parenting- I definately want to become an active parent who sets boundaries and whatnot but have a warm and accepting context.  I want my children to be able to come to me about anything and have a strong relationship but to know that there are boundaries that they have to follow.  Parents have a huge responsiblity to provide, protect and to prepare their children as they grow up to be adults so that they will be able to survive and to thrive in our society.  I really enjoyed everyone's and Brother Williams comments throughout the class and has given me a broader sense of what parents should be and shouldn't be. I hope that I will be able to be a good parent.

Family Under Stress/ Commuication and Mutual Problem Solving

Communicaton and Mutual Problem Solving-
Communiation is so important, especially in marriage.  I'll admit I'm the worst communicator and my husband gets frustrated with me because I tend not to communicate my feelings or whatever.  I've gotten better over the years but still a struggle.  The reading in the book has helped me how I can become a better communicator and how I can avoid conflict by commicating. 
I thought the way the Presidency and Quorum of 12 Apostles was pretty neat and the story that was shared in the reading was a great example of how it works. I think that its the perfect way of communicating and problem solving in a group like that. We were ask to how we would apply one of these process in our families and how it can help us when counseling with each other. It was interesting reading everyone's post and what they would do.  I think that all of them are needed and would be super helpful. I thought I would post the list- if anyone is interested in having it and this way I can go back to it. 
The process used by the Presidency and Quorum of 12 Apostles. 

• An agenda is organized and distributed at least the evening before the meeting.

• They meet each Thursday in the temple (sacred time, sacred space).

• Begin by expressing sincere love and concern for one another.

• Open discussion with prayer, inviting the Spirit to reveal Heavenly Father's will.

• Discuss in an orderly manner to concensus, seeking to agree upon what God would have done.

• Close with prayer, dedicating selves and efforts to follow through with revealed will.

• Share refreshments.

Homemakers and Finances

This week's lesson was good.  It has opened my eyes a little bit in the fact that I've been wanting to get a bachlors degree and I'm having my first child this summer that I just didn't know what I was gonna do.  I felt horrible just getting a associate degree and thats it.  But having this lesson had made me realized that I don't have to have career or have highest degree, that I still can be intelluctual by learning in the home.  In one of the readings it was say that those mothers who stay home learn more than those who do work outside the home and have that interaction.  I thoughtthat it was interesting and made me feel somewhat better that even though I would have an AA, I still can be successful and still learn at home.

Finances- this is the 3rd lesson that I've had in 3 different classes but it's always a good lesson and a good nudge to get our budget in gear. I thought that it was intersting that Brother Williams shared that this guy who is a multi-millionare thinks the pamphlet that the LDS church provides, "One for the Money," is the best book out there.  I thought that was pretty neat that someone who isn't LDS, mulit-millionare broker thought that was the go to book.