Forming Close Relationships

The parent child relationship is a very important one. First of all, they are eternal relationships that do not end after this life so it becomes necessary and important to nurture them now so that we continue in that kind of love and sociality in the next life. Second of all, these relationships set the stage for all other relationships to come. They become the base of the learning environment from which children grow and provides a security that can be found no where else. We are taught in the Doctrine and Covenants to seek dilligently to turn the hearts of the children to the fathers. If we don't our children will seek for that human bond and closeness elsewhere in unsafe relationships that may not be what we especially approve of.

Today in class we talked about the main principles associated with close parent and child relationships. The top 5 I wrote down were Trust, Respect, Understanding, Service and Love. Others were open communication, listening, time together, praise, high standards, atmosphere, forgiveness, humility, sensitivity, support...and the list goes on.

The biggest most important thing in enhancing and developing our relationships is found in loving our children. All other principles flow out of unconditional love. If we do not consistently express and show our love how will our children's hearts nurture and sustain faith in God who loves us more than we will ever know. The two greatest commandments have to do with love. Loving our Father in Heaven and loving our neighbor. Perfect love also casts out all fear. As a parent one of my main goals is to show my children the love that our Heavenly Father would have me show and in turn their faith in God will grow and be developed as I show that love and protect and watch over them like our Lord does for each of us.

A quote that I love from Elder James E. Faust says, "You must read to your children and you must hug your children and you must love your children. Let parents who have been conscientious, loving, and concerned and who have lived the principles of righteousness as best they could be comforted in knowing that they are good parents despite the actions of some of their children."

I know that I have spirit children who will be mine forever, who are waiting for their time here on this earth. There is nothing else that I will ever own, no worldly thing I will ever acquire that will be worth so much as the love of those children. I want to raise them in righteousness and express and show them my love in all that I do.

There are times when I will have to be humble and ask of their forgiveness and times when I will have to rewrite my wrongs that I have possiblily done unto them but through it all I want my children to know that I love them and that I truly care for them and respect them. I want to maintain open communication and know the things that are important to them, I want to know who they are and what they want to become. I want to spend quality time with them and help lead and guide them in all that they need me to.

I am so glad for the relationships I have with my parents and for their love and example to me of cultivating and consistently growing and developing that loving relationship with me so that I can some day be able to show that kind of love and respect to my own children.