To The Mothers In Zion

In To The Mothers In Zion by President Ezra Taft Benson, he gives a list of suggestions for mothers I'd like to share.

 10 Specific Ways Our Mothers Can Spend Effective Time With Their Children

1. Be at the Crossroads-take time to always be at the crossroads when your children are either coming or going-when they leave and return from school, when they leave and return from dates, when they bring friends home. 
   
   
   
   
   
2. Be a Real Friend-take time to be a real friend. Listen to your Children, really listen! 
   
   
   
   
   
3. Read to Your Children-take time to reach to your children. Starting from the cradle. 
   
   
   
   
   
4. Pray with your Children-take time to pray with your children. Family prayers under the guidance of the father, should be held morning and night. Have your children participate in family and personal prayers. 
   
   
   
   
   
5. Have Weekly Home Evenings-take time to have meaningful weekly home evenings. With your husband presiding and your children actively involved. Teach them correct principles. Make this one of your great family traditions.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   6. Be Together at Mealtime-take time to be together at mealtime as often as possible. Share happy conversations, sharing the day's plans and activities. Special teaching moments occur at the the mealtime table.
   

    

   
   

   7. Read Scriptures Daily-take time daily to read the scriptures together as a family.Individual reading is important, but family scripture reading is vital.

   

   
   

   8. Do Things as a Family-take time to do things together as a family. Make family outings and picnics and birthday celebrations and trips special times and memory builders. Attend family events where one of the family members is involved. Attending church meetings together and sit together as a family when you can. 
   

   

   
   9. Teach Your Children-take time to teach your children. Catch the teaching moments. This can be done anytime of the day. Early morning or the end of the day. You are your children's best teacher!
   

   

   
   10. Truly Love your Children-Mothers take time to truly love your children. A mother's unqualified love approaches Christlike love.
   

   

   
   In my own life I was blessed to be able to put some of these suggestions into action. Meal time at the dinner table was a must in my house. Even if it was just my daughter and I, we always ate at the kitchen table. That time allowed me to ask how her day was and allowed me to enter into her daily life a little easier.
   
   Although I was a working mother, I ran a business that allowed me to drop my daughter off most mornings and be there when she arrived home. I could have chosen a different career path, more money definitely would have helped, but I opted to continue doing what I was doing so I could have the flexibility to be home most afternoons when she arrived home. Family home evenings weren't always formal, many were spent watching Fear Factor or Dancing with the Stars, but we always knew that time was dedicated to spending the evening together. When we did have formal lessons or discussions, my daughter always amazed me at how much she loved to prepare and research information for those lessons.
   
   I think most would agree that loving comes natural, but truly listening to your kids can be a bit more challenging. Especially as they get older! It's not easy to just listen so just keep practicing and try to remember to turn your automatic response button off and just listen! 
   
   Let me close by just saying, give it your best shot moms. It's never easy..sometimes every day seems like a struggle. Just continue to strive to do a little better today, than you did yesterday.