Is It Naptime Yet

My family does a FHE once a month with all the siblings who are here and some adopted family members. This year we’re doing it on The Family: A Proclamation to the World. My mom separated the paragraphs and we got the following one to do.

“We warn that individuals who violate covenants of chastity, who abuse spouse or offspring, or who fail to fulfill family responsibilities will one day stand accountable before God. Further, we warn that the disintegration of the family will bring upon individuals, communities, and nations the calamities foretold by ancient and modern prophets.”

What a heavy paragraph. Well, since it mentioned the word warn I went with warnings and how things around us have warnings Jon brought in instructions…so we decided to right some instructions for parts of the paragraph. We separated it in to powers of procreation, marriage, parental discipline, and family roles. I think some of them turned out funny.

Powers of Procreation

SUGGESTED USE: Apply liberally within the bonds of marriage.

COMMON SIDE EFFECTS: Stronger relationships, trust, smiling couples, and children.

WARNING: Avoid premature exposure and uses outside of marriage. Broken homes may result.

Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, (Gen 1:28, Moses 2:28)

And Adam knew his wife, and she bare unto him sons and daughters, and they began to multiply and to replenish the earth. (Moses 5:2)

Parental Discipline

SUGGESTED USE: Use as directed by the Spirit, sparingly with large doses of persuasion, long-suffering, gentleness, meekness, and love unfeigned.

COMMON SIDE EFFECTS: Happy, orderly homes.

OVERDOSE WARNING: Do not exceed recommended doses or use contrary to the Spirit’s direction—can result in hurt feelings, broken relationships, rebellious children, and crippled lives.

UNDERDOSE WARNING: Too little discipline may lead to chaotic, uncooperative homes, and spoiled brats.

D&C 121:41

Marriage

DIRECTIONS: Mix man and woman equally, include generous doses of communication, humor, respect, trust, love, friendship, and divine guidance. For best results, maintain strong physical attraction.

WARNING: If proportions of man and woman are not mixed equally, negative side effects include unrighteous dominion, diminishing affection, and eventually disintegration of marriage.

D&C 121:39

Family Roles

DIRECTIONS: Where possible fathers should provide righteous priesthood leadership, the necessities of life, and protection for their families. Mothers should nurture their children. Both parents should provide love, guidance, and gospel instruction.

Children under the age of 18 should support parents by respecting them, avoiding contention, setting good examples to other siblings, and fulfilling family responsibilities such as chores.

Extended families should lend support when needed.

WARNING: Failure to follow directions will lead to broken homes. Severe cases may be contagious and lead to the eventual collapse of society and calamities of biblical proportion. (Did we mention the vultures, the dogs, the maggots, etc.?)

All children have claim upon their parents for their maintenance until they are of age. (D&C 83:4)

And again, inasmuch as parents have children in Zion, or in any of her stakes which are organized, that teach them not to understand the doctrine of repentance, faith in Christ the Son of the living God, and of baptism and the gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of the hands, when eight years old, the sin be upon the heads of the parents. (D&C 68:25)

And ye will not suffer your children that they go hungry, or naked; neither will ye suffer that they transgress the laws of God, and fight and quarrel one with another, and serve the devil, (Mosiah 4:14)

Overall I think it went well. There was loudness because of children, but it was short and simple on a heavy topic.

I’m the tough parent. Jon’s the soft one. Not that it’s bad or good. It just stinks.  Lilah didn’t want to go to nursery this Sunday. No particular reason. She just wanted to go home and take a nap. (she’s never had this problem until we went to Ely and her and Jon only stayed for sacrament.) Jon went to class with Eden. I took Lilah to the bathroom and then she was upset and not wanting to go to nursery. I tried having her sit on some steps with me but I felt that she was getting to much attention, because I’m a control freak and I wanted her to sit forward, fold her arms etc. Really I was just trying to make her miserable so she would want to go to nursery and play. Well I tried to take her in and she just threw a fit and cried and followed me to the door so then it was time out. I just wanted her to go to nursery. I know I pull away from her. She seems so demanding and I feel that I give her attention so I wonder what it is that makes her so demanding or so upset. I just don’t know. Well I heard the bell and I figured Jon would probably be wondering where I was…since we were outside and not easily seen. So I took Lilah to him. I told him not to be soft. Sure he got results but he was soft and gave her attention…right. I just hate it sometimes when he has more patience to deal with her. I blame it on that he’s not around her 24 hours a day.  Well she was in timeout… on his lap and eventually they went in….and she was allowed her to bring her blanket…and I think he may have left her, but it may have been close to leaving time so he may have stayed.  He’s just soft.  I withdrawal. It’s how I deal with her. I just feel so pulled and I don’t want to spoil her. I feel like she’s being spoiled rather than independent. Since it’s General conference next week this will probably make the week after just as hard. He says it’s better not to make it a battle if wills. Then she can get over it and move on rather then remember the traumatic moments of her mother making her stand in time out. (I added the mother making her stand in timeout…he doesn’t point fingers.) I see his point. I’m just stubborn…as you all know.

Oh…I am separating Lilah and Eden at nap time now. Lilah goes in my bed. Sometimes I take a nap with her. It mostly works..except the days that Lilah doesn’t sleep…but she has slept better. The only thing now is Lilah tries to climb into bed at night time. She got in Saturday night on Jon’s side. He’s usually too tired to put her back in her bed. Last night it was 6…I took her back. She came back at 7:10 or so..it was light out so she can sleep in the bed..at least that’s what she said..and it sounded okay to me. Jon was in the shower so she just took his spot. She’s nice and warm to cuddle up to.