Unity

I really enjoyed reading the article from Richard Miller, “Who Is the Boss? Power Relationships in Families”.  There is some great information in this article that provides great guidance for families. I think the most important point is that as parents, we must be united in leadership in regards to our families. We have seen it in our own family, where kids will ‘parent shop’ and/or play us as parents against each other. I really agree with the ‘executive session’, where if there is something that you are not seeing eye to eye, you need to go and talk where little ears can’t hear you. 

A really valuable point made in this article is to show that you are united in your leadership, you need to show respect for one another and refrain from ever saying anything negative about your spouse in front of your kids. I know that sometimes things can slip in the heat of the moment, but we need to remember that when things like that it shows weakness in our unity with our spouse. I love the counsel give by Joseph F. Smith,

 “Parents … should love and respect each other, and treat each other with respectful decorum and kindly regard, all the time. The husband should treat his wife with the utmost courtesy and respect. The husband should never insult her; he should never speak slightly of her, but should always hold her in the highest esteem in the home, in the presence of their children … The wife, also should treat the husband with the greatest respect and courtesy. Her words to him should not be keen and cutting and sarcastic. She should not pass slurs or insinuations at him … Then it will be easy for the parents to instill into the hearts of their children not only love for their fathers and their mothers, not only respect and courtesy towards their parents, but love and courtesy and deference between the children at home.”