Parenting Principles

Here are the patterns and principles on parenting and on the family I learned:

• Family comes first
• The temple is the ultimate goal
• Receive personal revelation
• Have a spiritual foundation and a unity of goals in a marriage
• Unselfish companionship means to put others needs before your own
• Cling to your spouse
• Don’t live in fear, have faith 
• Have family scripture study, prayer, and family home evening
• Fathers preside, provide, protect and mothers nurture, but they are equal partners and help each other
• Extended families and ward families help when needed
• Give children individual time based on needs
• Be in the home as much as possible
• Have family meals together where conversation occurs

Favorite quotes of the week:

• Sister Beck: “I think that this is a matter of faith. We don’t have children because we have money, because we have means. We have children with faith.”
• Sister Tanner: “I believe that being a mother and father is an eternal role, an eternal calling, if you will, and that with that calling, as with any calling, we are blessed with a mantel. We need that mantel, and we need that spirit with us as we rear our children. In fact, I think like Elisha, we need a double portion of that spirit as we rear our children. I believe that we’re blessed with that. These are Heavenly Father’s children, not just ours. They are His spirit children, and He will bless us with a double portion of that spirit”
• Sister Tanner: “Home is not just a place; it’s a feeling, and it’s a spirit.”
• Elder Holland: “If we can cling to the doctrine, we’ll get through, we’ll have answers to our prayers, and we’ll stay founded on true principles.”