Daughters of God

I am preparing to teach a lesson in church on Sunday from a talk that Elder Ballard gave in General Conference in April on Daughters of God (click to read). I have read it a couple times now and a couple of points have stuck out to me. There is a part that says, "There is no one perfect way to be a good mother. Each situation is unique. Each mother has different challenges, different skills and abilities, and certainly different children." I seem to always try to find the "cure-all". The something that will work for both of my kids to help with tantrums, discipline, etc. Just to make them perfect children. But I have to remember, that like it says, each child is different and so what works great for one mother, may not work for me. It may seem trivial, but it was a good reminder to me not to look at other moms and kids and wonder why we aren't like them. Another part that was a good reminder to me was, "Author Anna Quindlen reminds us not to rush past the fleeting moments. She said: “The biggest mistake I made [as a parent] is the one that most of us make. . . . I did not live in the moment enough. This is particularly clear now that the moment is gone, captured only in photographs. There is one picture of [my three children] sitting in the grass on a quilt in the shadow of the swing set on a summer day, ages six, four, and one. And I wish I could remember what we ate, and what we talked about, and how they sounded, and how they looked when they slept that night. I wish I had not been in such a hurry to get on to the next thing: dinner, bath, book, bed. I wish I had treasured the doing a little more and the getting it done a little less”(Loud and Clear [2004], 10–11). I seem to always be on the move and rushing to get places. Even on walks I take with my kids. I am always pulling them along instead of letting them enjoy their walk and letting them pick up leaves, or sticks, or bugs even. I need to be more patient. Just thought I would shares these little pieces of info with you!