Side by Side

Hey,

So, this week was a little bit different of a week, we talked about work ethic in the family as well as, fathers and finances.

I want to start off first with fathers and finances. Think back to about 200 years ago and how families earned their money. Normally it was doing farming as a family. Even young family members were out working side by side next to their parents and older siblings. Where did this system of side by side working go? What has it done to the family? I was thinking back to times I was working side by side with my parents, and how those times were the most impressionable times I remember. When I was a child every Saturday my dad was working in the garage, he always had something to fix or make whether it was a boat, car, lawn mower, etc. he was always working on something. And, I remember that I would go in there with him and would set up a chair next to where he was working and be his little helper going and grabbing whatever he needed. Those times I was with him were the times that I had the best conversations with my dad. We would always talk about the what new things were happening in my life, or what my future plan was, or how I really hate math. More and more sociality grows the more and more we lose those moments of side by side moments. I know that this has helped me think about what kind of job I want my husband to have. Is he going to have a job that makes more but takes him further away from our family or a job that makes less but more time with our family. Pondering on these moments I had with my father I realize just how important it is for my future family to have these same moments with their father.

Now, for the second part we talked about was work ethic. We talked most on the point of how to teach our children proper work ethic. One conversation brought up was allowance vs. no allowance. We talked about how when we get allowance we are always going to want more. We will eventually start thinking our time is worth more and the work we are doing is worth more. While, having no allowance creates responsibility and work ethic to help encourage children to work and see the fruits of their labors. I know growing up when I would clean the entire kitchen, and my mom would say “wow Tayler, this looks absolutely amazing. Thank you.” That meant more to me than doing it for any amount of money. We again are living in a society where we are not teaching in the proper work ethic. We should be teaching through example of hard working and working side by side. Times growing up I would have a ton of dishes to do, and I remember the best times were when my dad would come and help me clean them. Now, he never had too but again these were times we had such great bonding moments.

I wish to propose going back to times when families work side by side and together. This last week my fiancée came up for a week during his spring break and together every night we would cook a big dinner and we would clean the whole kitchen. I feel as though we grew so much together because we had a chance to work together and grow together, as well we were able to find more strengths in each other.

I know that working side by side can truly help make great families.