You're
finally home full-time. Your husband got on board with your deep desire to be
home and now you're finding yourself a bit bored. What should you do? This was
a topic on another post and I had suggested
the following ~
Start a
garden; try quilting, crocheting, or sewing; raise chickens if you have space;
do some writing; putter in the kitchen; play with the children; work on
crafting projects and quietly mind your own home. To attain a gentle and quiet
spirit, we must not only seek to be transformed in our interior lives, but work
on our exterior life in such a way that we cultivate a more peaceful existence.
This should begin in the home.
In the comment section, a
woman asked, "Do
you see them as being part of the primary function, or just something to occupy
women while they are engaged in their primary function if they have some spare
time {for example, to keep busy while a baby naps}?"
Then Robin, who has four
little ones at one responded this way ~
I'm thinking these are things
that can be done to include children as well. What a wonderful teaching
opportunity there is in gardening, sewing, cooking and raising animals. There
is no reason that even very young children would not want to be involved in any
of these activities, in my opinion. In fact, prior to the industrial
revolution, children were involved in all of these activities in and around the
home and saw these things as aspects of normal daily living.
When I first began to stay home, I wondered what in the world to do all day with children. This is due in part to having been raised by a mother who worked full-time outside of the home. I had no idea how to just "be" at home and also due to society which teaches us that home is a place to "crash" and sleep, then go out and work again; not a place of continual rest and replenishment.
Many children in our neighborhood have no idea what simply "being" at home means, and they cannot wait to get out the door again after they're off the school bus. They don't see the home as a place where we exist in relationship with each other; they want to wander away from home because home isn't "fun" and fulfilling. I believe that if we live simply and just slow down by going back to basic things like Lori's suggestions for home making, it not only gives us productive work to do with our hands and teaches our children to be productive and unselfish {giving their part in the family}, but it also shows them that home is about relationship, first and foremost. Everything done is done together, in relationship, which each person contributing toward the goals of the family.
I think there is much more to the suggestions in Lori's post than simply being busy during the day. The purpose, in my opinion, is to further show the children the meaning of family and home, the meaning of hard work, the meaning of production, the meaning of doing for others and for family, and most importantly, the meaning of being in relationship with others.
When I first began to stay home, I wondered what in the world to do all day with children. This is due in part to having been raised by a mother who worked full-time outside of the home. I had no idea how to just "be" at home and also due to society which teaches us that home is a place to "crash" and sleep, then go out and work again; not a place of continual rest and replenishment.
Many children in our neighborhood have no idea what simply "being" at home means, and they cannot wait to get out the door again after they're off the school bus. They don't see the home as a place where we exist in relationship with each other; they want to wander away from home because home isn't "fun" and fulfilling. I believe that if we live simply and just slow down by going back to basic things like Lori's suggestions for home making, it not only gives us productive work to do with our hands and teaches our children to be productive and unselfish {giving their part in the family}, but it also shows them that home is about relationship, first and foremost. Everything done is done together, in relationship, which each person contributing toward the goals of the family.
I think there is much more to the suggestions in Lori's post than simply being busy during the day. The purpose, in my opinion, is to further show the children the meaning of family and home, the meaning of hard work, the meaning of production, the meaning of doing for others and for family, and most importantly, the meaning of being in relationship with others.
She
looketh well to the ways of her household,
and
eateth not the bread of idleness.
Proverbs
31:27
