Saturday, October 11, 2008

Homemaking Daughters





Virtuous daughters on the home front has been quickly abandoned today and exchanged for empty, worldly, and shallow pursuits. It is a shame to see girls wandering aimlessly without any sense of who they are and ultimately having to 'find' herself (sometimes tragically and sadly)in a circle of foolish friends who lead her astray. We truly must help our daughters to redeem the time that is being idly lost and make wise use of their precious youthful years.

Parents will be wise to direct their daughters when they are young to fill their time with godly pursuits. When they are little to read stories about the love and joys of homemaking (Amish readers are good for this). To set the example for them as they go about celebrating the days at home that they might see mom enjoying and rejoicing in her work and to point their hearts in the direction of God and toward home and family. Mothers will be wise to include her young daughter in tasks around the home such as cooking, baking, cleaning, dusting and gardening with her as she performs them and begin cultivating the love for homemaking at an early age.

Some simple ways to entice an older daughter who has not really learned any homemaking skills would be to find out where her interests lie.. I highly suggest praying if you have an older daughter who you are trying to cultivate a love for home arts that the Lord would direct your steps as you carefully and eagerly teach your daughter new experiences on the home front. If you have several daughters, like I do, you will need to determine what their giftings and strengths---sometimes a daughter might not be interested in embroidering but might be interested in cake decorating. 

Oftentimes, I have found, you might find that if one daughter has enthusiasm in an area the other will follow suit and 'jump on the bandwagon' so to speak and both will be simultaneously learning in the same area. Our family has been blessed to see older examples of girls who are quite accomplished and creative in the realm of home. This had been a wonderful contributing factor in inspiring my girls along with setting a high mark for them. As a mother, I like to empower them by saying things like 'Wow, look at this blanket/dress/cake! Isn't that incredible? You could do that---I know you could!"


As a young girl, I was very blessed to have a mother who took the time to teach me some of the basics of how to sew, cook, clean and run a home. When I was a newlywed, I did not have to struggle as much as some because I was taught by my ever-loving mother. Surely, I have had to learn alot more on my adventure of having 8 beautiful children, but priceless was the time invested in me. Likewise, we must remember the time you invest in your daughter(s) are eternal and our efforts and surely not in vain.

My two older daughters (10 and 15) have learned to do many things around the home. I want them to be well rounded so I have taught them how to do all kinds of things--cleaning, cooking, making crafts, teaching, painting, embroidering, flower pressing, taking care of little ones, sewing, gardening, painting, scrapbooking, decorating, hospitality, ministry from the home, learning an instrument or two, baking and on the list goes.

A recent project for both daughters was to assemble and sew a fabric book from the craft store which they both did (pictures coming soon) which helped them to gain more confidence in their sewing skills. They have already sewed quilts and clothing and do most of the mending in our home. They also have recently started taking crocheting & knitting classes and use most of their spare time practicing their newly found skills. 

I also have a five year old, and as she watches her older sisters she so badly wants to learn to try her hand at it all also. What a blessing to have older daughters who are learning to be accomplished in the domestic arts! We still have a long way to go, but we are definitely off to a good start.

It is ever important to shower your daughters with praise and be ever patient with them as they try new things. Kindly and patiently instruct. Teach them with example as well as with words. Encourage, encourage, encourage---that is key to fanning flame into fire and igniting a love for learning and building a vision that entails a love for the sacred home that one day they too, will govern.

"Then our sons in their youth will be like well-nurtured plants, and our daughters will be like pillars carved to adorn a palace." Psalm 144:11-13


(Stay tuned for Part 2!)
























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12 comments:

Brenda said...

The list of skills there are to choose from makes my head spin!!! There is so much to teach them! I need to make some goals ON PAPER so I don't run out of time!!!

Thanks for this encouragement.

Anonymous said...

Can't wait for part 2....this first part is fantastic! It really spells out the best way to ensure that our daughters will feel comfortable & competent as homemakers....by example! Thanks for posting this.

Brenda

Mrs. Anna T said...

What a beautiful, beautiful post. Now, if only more mothers today had the time, inclination, and ability to teach their daughters all the lovely arts you've mentioned!.. So many young girls lack a good mentor these days.

His Talmidat said...

Love it! I wasn't taught most of the basics, and it is a struggle. I have my first to kiddos now, both girls, so this is even more helpful for me.

Where would someone get an Amish reader?

Thank you for your site!

Mary said...

What a beautiful blog! Loved it!

Sarah Mae said...

I love love love this post! I have been think a lot about this lately, how I want to be a JOYFUL homemaker so that my daughter will want to be one and my son will want to marry one. I realize that I can't just be in sweats and no makeup all day. I need to be talking with my children about God's plan for men and women, etc. Thank you for the advice about the Amish readers, I need to get some. I can't wait for part 2! :)

June Fuentes @ A Wise Woman Builds Her Home said...

Dear Rose,

Here is a link you can copy and paste into your browser for the Amish Readers:

http://www.rodandstaffbooks.com/list/Christian_Storybooks/

Many blessings...

His Talmidat said...

Thank you! Off to check into it!

Anonymous said...

This is right where my heart is with my daughter........I just hope that I am not to late. Blessings.

Anonymous said...

I was never taught to do the many tasks that were necessary for me to know in order to manage a home properly and make it a refuge for my husband and children. My mother was a person who did not like to have other people around when she cooked or did household tasks. She would usually have me take my younger sister outdoors so that she could clean uninterruptedly. I can never remember doing household things WITH her and I was woefully unprepared to take care of a home when I got married. I had only ever made my bed, set the table, done dishes, polished the furniture and ironed - that's it ! I had never cooked a meal, done a load of wash, grocery shopped, cleaned a bathroom or kitchen ...the list could go on and on.
I tried to better prepare my daughters to care for a household but you can't thoroughly teach what you don't know very well yourself. I did try to teach them what I had learned up to that point and they were better prepared than I was when they married. I am not naturally an organized person so it took me many years of struggle before I learned the skills that I needed, often from library books as I had no older woman to mentor me. I beg you young moms who are now raising children to prepare them for life. It would have saved me much heartache and friction with my young husband and I wouldn't have felt like such a failure in this area if I had been taught what I needed to know. I am a reasonably good housekeeper now but it was a long, slow, uphill climb for me. As parents, we need to teach our children what they need to know to function as competent adults.

Blessings,

Mary L.

Anonymous said...

What a great post!! I am a mother to two beautiful girls, 3 1/2 and 5 months. My oldest daughter loves being with me in the kitchen and being with my while I crochet and do other things. I try to do different crafts with her that she can actually do and let her help as much as she can in the kitchen and with other household tasks, but do you have any other specific suggestions of things I could do with her to cultivate the love for home in her? Thanks!

Mrs. Laura Lane said...

Fabulous post. I have two daughters who have helped me some. I intend to include them in a lot more. I want them to love homemaking and I want to love homemaking more.

Blessings to you from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,
Laura

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