What do mothers do with their children all summer long when they have to work full-time? There's no longer school to take care of the children so who takes care of them? According to this article only a quarter of children have a parent home with them full-time. There's no parent home to take many of them to the park on a whim or to the closest place to swim. There's no one home to fix them a nourishing lunch or play games with them.
Since many parents can't afford summer programs and camps, they are forced to find someone else to raise their children or leave them home alone, even with twelve year old siblings. This article bemoans the fact that lower income children get academically behind higher income children because higher income children have schooling options during the summer. I sure never went to school during the summer. I was so excited just to play, swim, and do anything but school! Most children did this when I was growing up and it sure didn't hurt us academically. Since when did our nation place education on such a high pedestal that children aren't supposed to have a summer vacation? Always remember that the wisdom of this world is foolishness to God.
Most of these mothers who work find that in order to pay babysitters, camps, etc. for their children, they bring home very little money. One couple is spending 23% of their weekly income for the childcare for the summer! What is the solution to this problem in this article? Bigger government programs to support women not being at home so someone else can take care of their children.
Children don't need more schooling. They don't need a summer program. They don't need one more daycare, babysitter, or nanny. They don't need another government program to pay for their care and more debt for their generation in the future. They need their mothers! They want their mother home full-time. They are tired of being shuffled here and there. Children thrive on stability, security, and being with their own mother all the time. Another government program to give mothers more of a reason to work will simply cause more mothers to leave their children.
Don't they understand that someone has to pay for these government programs? We all do; anyone who works, that is. There is no free lunch. The taxes go higher so it makes it more difficult to live on one income. Greed is at the root of it all. People want to do what they want. Too many women don't want to stay home all day with their children. They would rather be out making their own money and being with other adults. {These are the women I am speaking about.} Therefore, they are expecting the government to help satisfy their greed and dissatisfaction. Government is more than willing to help tear families apart since the bigger a government gets, the less it cares about families.
Stop the crazy cycle! Live modestly within your husband's income. Come home and take care of your children. Take them to the lake, pool, or ocean. Allow them to spend the carefree days of summer having fun and enjoying the sunshine and warmth. Allow them to enjoy YOU for this is what they want the very most, their mother. If you are a single mother, find some way to make money from home. Ask the Lord for wisdom in this area for what He commands He provides.
"A simple lifestyle allows time for visiting with friends and spending time with our extended family. It means more time for cultivating good habits in our children, helping a needy friend, encouraging a sister, and sharing with our husbands. It means more time to follow righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, and meekness." {Ruth Mast}
"A simple lifestyle allows time for visiting with friends and spending time with our extended family. It means more time for cultivating good habits in our children, helping a needy friend, encouraging a sister, and sharing with our husbands. It means more time to follow righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, and meekness." {Ruth Mast}
Better is a little with
the fear of the LORD than
great treasure and trouble therewith.
Proverbs.
15:16
Lady Virtue · 459 weeks ago
It always makes me so sad to see women leave their children for hours each day to work, where often their bosses and some company that cares nothing about them get their best. Then they come home in the evening, tired, and their husbands and children get short shrift. God's ways aren't always easy, and they require sacrifice, but they still are the best!
Lori Alexander 122p · 459 weeks ago
Mrs. G. · 459 weeks ago
Lori Alexander 122p · 459 weeks ago
Anonymous 2 · 459 weeks ago
Life is too short not to raise your children.
Brigitte · 459 weeks ago
Lori Alexander 122p · 459 weeks ago
Melissa M. · 459 weeks ago
Lori Alexander 122p · 459 weeks ago
CAhousewife · 459 weeks ago
Lori Alexander 122p · 459 weeks ago
Mrs.M · 459 weeks ago
It is incredible to me how even in the church these things are considered so revolutionary and unusual! I had one of those moments this weekend realizing how infiltrated the church is with worldly values and feminism, and I was just speechless for a moment when I heard it.
A friend's husband is returning to full time ministry as a pastor after years of working a regular job, and the wife is refusing to attend his new church with him! She doesn't want to leave their current church family, plus she serves as an elder and has lots of responsibilities at their current church. She told him if he wanted to interview for the job that was fine, but to make it clear to the church that they would not be getting a pastor's wife out of the bargain. (He won't be moving, the new church is in the same town where they live.)
As I said, I was pretty much speechless.
Lori Alexander 122p · 459 weeks ago
ACM · 459 weeks ago
i do think about what i could have done differently to have a job with summers off, but i wouldn't trade the special bond my daughter has with her gram for anything! (ok.. yes i'd also like summers off!)
I have been looking for jobs in the school district nearby so that i could have the summers off now, but with my "skill" and experience level at my job now, it makes it pretty difficult to explain i why i'd be "stepping backwards". although i dont think it would be stepping backwards, i think i would LOVE it. please pray i will find something soon!
Lori Alexander 122p · 459 weeks ago
ACM · 459 weeks ago
Emma · 457 weeks ago
Raquel · 459 weeks ago
Lori Alexander 122p · 459 weeks ago
Roxy · 459 weeks ago
Summer is filled with the best part of childhood!
Great Post!
Always, Roxy
Diana · 459 weeks ago
"Government is more than willing to help tear families apart since the bigger a government gets, the less it cares about families."
Also, broken families support big government, because broken families tend to depend on government help. So it's a positive feedback loop - big government produces broken families, and broken families feed big government.
Excellent post, Lori.
Sonya · 459 weeks ago
Amber · 457 weeks ago