This week in class we were assigned to write about our top 10 favorite things we learned from class.  Here is my list:

Top 10 List

 Family Council:  I loved in class when we talked about having family council.  In a family council everyone’s voice can be heard.  Parents can use this time to hear their children’s opinions on different subjects.  I will have family council with my future family.

Preparing for a marriage not a wedding:  It is important when preparing to be married that the couples plan for a marriage not a wedding.  People get too caught up with the materialistic part of the wedding.  I am going to have a temple theme at my wedding reception.  I want to have a temple cake topper on my wedding cake.

Gay day:  I learned so much in class the day we talked about gays.  I learned about what they are going through.  God did not give them the temptation to like the members of their same sex.  Satan gave them that temptation.  And all temptation can be overcome. 

It takes three things to really know someone:  Talk- mutual disclosure, Togetherness- doing a variety of activities together, and Time- you don’t begin to really know someone until after 3 months.  I need to do these three things to know that I’m supposed to marry someone.  Plus a lot more.  But those three are very important.

The Book of Mormon is written for parents:  I never thought of that before.  There are the best and worst examples of parenting in the Book of Mormon.  If I want to be a good, beautiful, praiseworthy parent then I need to learn how to do it from the Book of Mormon. 

Sexual Intimacy:  I never knew how much communication is necessary for sexual intimacy within marriage.  I thought it all came naturally.  A husband and wife need to be in constant communication so that no one feels taken advantage of, and so each person can feel satisfied and that their needs are being filled.

Dating:  we need to date a variety of different people.  Do not date a project.  When beauty meets or dates a beast, she becomes a beast.  She usually lowers her standards down to his level.  We need to find someone that is one same level as ourselves.

Coping saw:  a coping saw is a small tool used to intricately cut crown molding.  Crown molding needs to be cut perfectly so that when the wood expands it fits.  That is the same in our families.  In a family we all need to be working together so that we can fit perfectly together, but also expand when trials come, but then come right back together when the trial is over.

Fatherhood:  I loved the section about fatherhood.  Fathers are so important in the lives of the children and of course the wife.  Fathers need to take special time with their kids to help their kids grow up with a positive male role model.  This is especially important with daughters.  I hope that my husband plays a very active role with our children.

Working as a family:  The families that work together are the closest.  Children need to have chores to do in the house so that everyone is participating and working together.  In my family we all share the chores so that my step-mom doesn’t have to do everything.  It’s not fair that she does everything because we are all a family and we all need to help contribute.  

This week in class we talked about children’s needs and why they act out.  I learned that children want attention even if it’s bad attention.  So a child will continually act out in a negative way simply because he is getting some form of attention from his parents, even if it’s bad attention.  My teacher said something that really stuck out to me.  He said “behavior that gets noticed gets repeated.”  I have seen that to be true in my own family.  I am number seven of ten children so all of us were starved for attention.  Some of us acted out in bad ways, others tried to help out and get noticed in good ways.  I want to put that statement into effect when I have children.  If I notice and acknowledge all of the good things that they do throughout the day hopefully they will continue to do good things. 

This is a quote that I love from President Henry B. Eyring.  This hit’s really close to home for my family because my parents raised us very well, and several of my siblings are inactive and have strayed very far from the past.  But there is hope for those righteous parents that did all they could do to raise a righteous posterity. 

"Like Alma and King Mosiah, some faithful parents have served the Lord long and well yet have had children who wandered despite their parents’ sacrifice for the Lord. They have done all they could to no apparent avail, even with help from loving and faithful friends."

"Alma and the Saints of his day prayed for his son and the sons of King Mosiah. An angel came. Your prayers and the prayers of those who exercise their faith will bring the Lord’s servants to help your family members. They will help them choose the way home to God, even as they are attacked by Satan and his followers, whose purpose it is to destroy families in this life and in eternity."

"You remember the words spoken by the angel to Alma the Younger and the sons of Mosiah in their rebellion: “And again, the angel said: Behold, the Lord hath heard the prayers of his people, and also the prayers of his servant, Alma, who is thy father; for he has prayed with much faith concerning thee that thou mightest be brought to the knowledge of the truth; therefore, for this purpose have I come to convince thee of the power and authority of God, that the prayers of his servants might be answered according to their faith.”

“Come unto Me”

April 2013 General Conference

President Henry B. Eyring

First Counselor in the First Presidency

Fatherhood

This week for class we were asked to write a paper on the importance of fatherhood.  I honestly loved writing this paper because I have so much love and respect for my father, and I know how important it is to have a good father in the home.  I found a website that gives ten steps on how to be a better dad:

1. Don't worry about being a great dad.
2. Try to live your normal pre-child life as soon as possible.
3. Give the mommy some time for herself.  
4. Get up with mom for late-night feedings.
5. Be affectionate with your baby, especially as they get older. 
6. Treat your kid the way that you wanted to be treated when you were a kid.
7. Don't ever abuse your kid.  Ever!
8. Advice on raising children is everywhere, and it's all contradictory, so be very careful which guide you follow.
9. Enjoy yourself.  It all goes by too quickly.
10. Learn what kids want most from their dad.

I absolutely love all of those steps.  They make a lot of sense and they don't seem too hard to follow.  I hope that my future husband will take these steps so that he can be the best father that he can be.

http://www.parents.com/parenting/dads/101/ways-to-be-a-great-dad/?page=6