Posted by Craig2 on February 01, 2014 at 06:27:45 from (69.35.203.244):
I have been following the posts about raising children the last couple days. Reading all of them has reminded me again what my true job is. I am 38 and am a little like JD Sellers boys. My dad made things easier for me. By teaching me how to work hard and to work smart. He and mom had hard times and for a short while received food stamps when I was little. I know that hurt his heart and his pride but he needed food for us kids. Mom and dad have been married 39 years and I never seen them fight (not that they didn't, we just didn't see it). They took us to church and taught us that anything is possible with God and that God will never give up on us, ever.
Just like every other teenager, when I was young I thought dad was stupid. Every waking hour was work, fire wood, garden, side jobs that he had picked up(construction). Very seldom was it hunting or fishing. However, when I was old enough to start baling hay for others(13 or 14) I secretly used all the things that dad taught me. Like, it is ok to work hard but work smart as well. I wasn't quite strong enough to throw bales high so I went as far as I could then built me a step with bales to finish off the last row and the tie. Dad taught me how to operate a tractor. After a few years working for every farmer in the country, one guy offered me a full time job every summer. He trusted me with the equipment and I mowed, raked, and ran the baler for him for three years. I never touched a bale til we unloaded the last wagons.
Fast forward from there I bought a house when I was 20. It needed a lot of work which I could do myself because of dads teaching.
I was fortunate enough at 23 to marry a great woman who helped me get closer to God. We have 3 boys. Shortly after our youngest was born my wife had her first surgery for cancer. 8 years and 11 surgeries later she passed away on Aug 31, 2013. Now I am raising 3 boys by myself. Because mom and dad made their marriage a priority I made mine a priority as well. My wife thought that she was ruining my life because of all of her medical issues. I reminded her that the vows said "til death do us part" not til it got hard and we didn't want to try anymore.
Don't worry about your kids learning from hard times. My parents did everything they could to make life easier on me and my sisters. Life will deliver adversity. My boys have been through enough adversity already in their short lives and I tried my best to make things easier for them.
All that being said I get back to my original thought by saying thank you all for reminding me again what my true job is. Teach my boys about God, hard work is ok, know how to handle money, love your brothers and hugs are good, stand up for what you believe in, help others when you are able and the list goes on.
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