If you have missed the first few parts, here are Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4
Final rule
Go around your house and thank our incredible God for each and every item out of place, from the orange running shoes dropped carelessly on the living room floor, to the stacks of cd’s and math papers strewn out on the coffee table. Thank Him for every sign of life! No showroom house looks like that because no one lives there. Don’t live in a mess; don’t put up with it. You, your husband, and your children deserve a well-kept place to live. They deserve to learn to keep one. You can conquer the mess! But don’t take it for granted either. It’s what’s left in the wake of all major blessings. Remember that the best parties leave behind the most exuberant debris.
Two books I highly recommend for principles of managing a house and rearing children (though they both cover much more):
· The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey. Covey explains the best ways to delegate among copious other matters. Many of his examples are from business, but can be easily extrapolated to the home. My husband teasingly called him “St. Stephen” because his book had such a positive impact on my life.
· If you haven’t read Nurture Shock, by Po Bronson and Ashley Merryman, it tells you some very surprising, counter-intuitive facts about what to praise and why and how psychologists know this. The studies they relate are fascinating. I give this book away now as part of any baby shower gift.
Laurie White, 2011
Laurie White is an author, teacher, and former homeschooling mom. She is the author of King Alfred’s English: A History of the Language We Speak and Why We Should Be Glad We Do for Christians age 12—adult. For more on her books, articles, and homeschooling recommendations go to her website.
http://theshorterword.com
