Family Really Works

So this week in my Family Relations class, we talked about how the family is supposed to work. Together. Which all ties back into the Proclamation, because it’s just that awesome! We talked about how the mother after having kids, attaches to them, but mostly to her daughters. I think it’s just a woman thing. Men do their “Manly Bonding”, and us girls do whatever we do, eat ice cream and watch movies, I don’t know. But when this happens, (the mom and the daughter getting too close), the mother and father then pull away from each other, like a rubber band. This is bad because the family just can’t work like that. Why? Because if we have a mother and daughter who are close, probably a little too close, they form a bond where the mother might become over protective, or over involved in the daughters life. Which means that if the daughter does pretty much ANYTHING, the mother is right there with her. This creates a problem because now, the daughter controls mom because she can MAKE mom respond to her. And daughter can twist it up, so mom takes her side, or mom helps daughter out. So the daughter controls the mom, and gets the reaction she wants, out of mom. And the closer that mom and daughter are, the farther apart they both grow from dad. Which destroys mom and dad’s marriage. And since dad maybe works a lot, is out of the loop, or just gone, he doesn't really connect with his daughter, and is losing connection with his wife, because the bond between mom and daughter are closer than his own. This is wrong, and in Genesis 2:24 it states, "Therefore shall man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh." 

I truly believe that nothing is more important in a family, than the relationship between the mother and father. They need each other. They are together for a reason. They need to support each other and realize that they have each other to trust, and love. No one should be closer in a family than the mom and dad.  And once mom and dad are exactly equal, then they can go, and bond with their kids. I know this to be true because of my own parents. As much as my mom loves me, oh and all my other siblings, she loves my dad the most. And my dad loves her the most too. Which is exactly why my family is so close. My mother and father have an equal relationship not only with each other, but also with all of us kids.  And because of the love they have for each other, it has been an example for me and all my siblings. All of my married siblings were married and sealed in the temple worthily, and their temple sealing’s are still valid today, because of their great bonds. So thanks to my parents, my family is staying strong, and we are all trying to do our best, following their example of what a strong marriage is supposed to be like.

So all my talking is leading somewhere I promise. How we can apply this to our lives. So first, ask if there are any cliques or groups in your family, know where they are, and try to find out why they are there. Just realizing that there is a problem conquers half the battle. Then, think about what you can do, to help either build up those relationships that need to be stronger, or break away from those that are too close, that cause uneasiness with others. But hands down, strengthen your relationship with your spouse. And if you’re not married, then…. Strengthen your relationship with Christ, which we should all be doing anyways. He should actually be included in our relationships, but back to our families. Mom and Dad HAVE to have an equal, strong relationship before anything else, so that the kids can look at their parents for an example of a happy, and united marriage, and also, so that the kids know that they are loved by both parents equally, and that they love each other. I LOVE FAMILY!!! Especially mine.