Speaking of Children

I've been pushing a couple movies I saw on TLC to my kids. It was about a family of 18! Yes, 18. All from 1 set of parents. Now my kids know I'm pro-family and big families at that. I'd recommend the movies to everyone. It's amazing to think of 1 family that large, but that's not why the movies were promoted by me. I wanted them to see that there's more to a family than just size, or keeping them happy by giving them whatever they want, whenever they want.

This family (with children between newborn and 16) were building a 7,000 square foot house by themselves! Each child contributed to the project, was given their own drill and seemed like they enjoyed it. Now I've heard some say, that a child couldn't do that. Well, they did and did a good job. You have to watch it to see what I mean. I remember going over to my relatives when I was young. Their children milked cows, drove the tractor (much to my envy), planted, and did many other things today's families would only think an older person or adult would be capable of. Farm families worked together because that was the way it worked.

Today's family (some of them at least) seem to get by with dvd's, gameboys, sports, etc. to get them through the day. Now, I'm not against those things, but would like to see a little more practical application of the abilities God has given us.

Years ago, I went to help put some metal library shelf parts on the 2nd floor of a building with a group of other men. As we trudged up the stairs hour after hour, I wondered where the young people were. "Oh, they're at practice exercising for their sport"! Boy, bending, lifting, carrying, going up and down stairs seems like pretty good exercise to me.

There's a bond that forms between a family, or group of young and old people, that are working together that can't be duplicated anywhere else. Older teaching younger as they do the every day tasks that come about.

Teaching your children how to work together with good work ethics, will last them a lifetime.

If you get a chance watch these movies on TLC.

http://health.discovery.com/convergence/duggars/duggarfamily.html