I was just about to do yet another load of dishes for the day, when our 2 year old came crying by my leg. It has been a busy day for me, lots of little ones sick this week, and I hadn’t gotten much one on one time with her. She has been extremely fussy, maybe teeth, maybe just feeling yuck. My first response was to send her off to play with someone else, but I knew I had to do better. I scooped her up and set her on the counter where I was doing dishes.
As she sat on the counter helping me wash, she instantly became a happy child. As we went about washing the dishes we sang some bible songs, talked about how special she was and how much Jesus loves her, her love bucket was instantly filled. But if I would have went with my first response and ignored the opportunity to pour myself into her life, I would have missed out on a very important teaching time.
Deuteronomy 6:6-9
And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes. And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates.
In these verses it declares that God’s word was to be passed on from generation to generation. Parents were charged with the responsibility of passing the faith on to their children. They were to instruct their children throughout the course of the day.
Mothers, sometimes its easier and faster to do all the work yourselves, especially when you are having a hard week due to sickness but what are we going to gain from all of that? A super clean house? A loss of our children’s hearts maybe? Children need to feel included and that they are a necessary part of the family. The best way to do that is to include them in everything that you do, don’t send them away, let them help you in your work. Be a team. Help grow your relationship together. You will not regret investing time in your children’s lives.
