Then Ye Will Always Abound in Good Works

We had an excellent lesson in my SFL 100 (Strengthening Marriage and Family) class today about "The Meanings and Blessings of Family Work."

When Adam and Eve had to leave the Garden of Eden, Adam wasn't cursed by having to begin working... the ground was cursed "for his sake." The fact that the ground would now bring forth thistles and briers instead of automatically flourishing with fruits and life enabled Adam the opportunity to work for his family and with his family. Work is intended to be a blessing to us and our families!

Some interesting facts about how family work has changed since industrialization:
-fathers' work went from centered in the home to taking him away from the home
-housework and homemaking are considered menial tasks...and now those tasks are looked down upon. Work that requires complete focus and brain activity is valued far more in our society than the everyday menial tasks of maintaining a home.
-children (because they started working away from the home, and then were sent back to the home after child labor laws were passed) are no longer expected to work the same way as part of the family. Their privilege is playing while mom does the housework. Many think that if they do work, they should be paid.
-Industrialization increased isolation in family work. Instead of all of the family members working together to maintain the household, fathers leave the home, mothers work to maintain the home, children play or do homework, etc.
-the home is no longer a producing place, but a consuming place.
-children are seen as liabilities rather than assets.
-modern technologies meant to make housekeeping easier have actually made mom's work more demanding. She feels more isolated now, there are higher expectations for the home, home's are bigger and require more maintenance, and more time is actually required for housework than before in order to meet those expectations.
-Time is worth so much in our minds these days that we are more worried about getting the jobs done rather than enjoying the journey. The focus is on efficiency.

These are just a few ways that family work has changed over the years. But we don't have to let these modern changes squelch the potential for great family work in our own homes!

Here are some ways we can enjoy and take advantage of family work today!:

-Take advantage of the menial tasks that don't require lots of brain work. Doing these jobs as a family, or with a few family members, actually enables family members time to connect and bond. Because your mind isn't required to do the work, your mind is available to interact and connect with your family! Nowadays we often like to keep our brains busy in every possible second (checking our phones, using social media), but having a time when your mind is free to wander and connect with loved ones is extremely valuable and healthy for you and your family!
-Instead of stressing about efficiency, we can make our time spent doing work more effective by using it to teach our children and connect with our family members. It may not be efficient to let your 4 year old help you do the dishes, but it is one of the best ways to teach your child valuable lessons, to create special bonds, and to maintain a family focus even while doing chores.
-Teach children that work is a lifestyle! It isn't something they can just do at home whenever they want when they want to earn some money. It's great to offer extra opportunities for children to earn some money when they are saving up for something, but by teaching them that there is always basic work required, your children will be more prepared for a productive and happy family life in their future.
-Dad's can remember that their work doesn't end when they come home from their job. Just like for mom, the work never actually ends. Dad's work just changes from the work environment to the home environment.

It could seem discouraging for both parents and kids to look at work as something that never ends, but this is a more recent negative perspective change that we can potentially reverse. Back when work was required of all family members on a regular basis (on the farm, etc), families learned to enjoy their work together! It wasn't just seen as an endless list of to-do's, but they spent the time talking, laughing, and sometimes making games out of the work. It was industrialization that largely contributed to the new idea we have that work and the rest of our lives should be separate, and that work cannot be enjoyed.


A wise husband was once was confronted by a woman and asked, "Tell me, do you really believe that a woman's first place is in the home?"
The wise husband replied boldly, "Yes." Then continued, "And so is a man's."

As we learn to have these changes in perspective- that family work can be enjoyed, that it is an important part of our home life, that it should be focused on effective (with teaching moments and  connecting moments) rather than efficiency- I believe we can create a more positive and hard working culture for our future families and generations.

"And see that ye have faith, hope and charity, and then ye will always abound in good works."
-Alma 7:24 (The Book of Mormon)