Taking the Initiative
Laura Ingalls Wilder was my childhood hero. I loved reading her books and watching the television series. However I preferred the former. They are the true stories of growing up in a pioneer family.
One time Charles and Caroline Ingalls left their children at home for a few days. During that time the young girls, Mary and Laura, decide to do something special for their parents. They are going to do all the spring cleaning. It is a tremendous task, especially for two girls.
Not only are they taking care of the homestead and all the responsibilities associated with it, but they are adding an even bigger task to their already full day. They worked hard seeking to not only surprise, but impress their parents. Even though the girls had never had the pleasure of spring cleaning on their own before, they knew what it entailed. They had worked alongside their mother since they were able to walk. She had trained them through her example.
The girls not only had the know-how, but they took the initiative. They had confidence that they could complete their task. It was a big one, but they took on the challenge. Their parents had instilled admirable traits in their daughters.
In the recent “No Greater Joy” magazine, Michael Pearl writes an article on parenting. It is entitled, “Instilling Initiative in our Children.” It is a must-read for any parent with young children. Parents of older children can benefit from it as well. Mr. Pearl does a great job of comparing and contrasting children with initiative and self-confidence with those without.
In a nutshell, children who have chores to do and who are not given everything they want tend to grow up without a sense of entitlement. My husband and I believe this observation is correct, not because Michael Pearl says so, but because of our own experiences. It is one of the reasons that we lead the life we do.
We live on a one-acre homestead. We work for Cross Creek Cattle Company as a family managing the ranch and the grass fed beef business. We home school our children. Our children earn their own money working odd jobs around the area. Their days are filled with chores, responsibilities, learning, family, play, God, and fun.
Are we a perfect family? Absolutely not. We struggle daily in many different ways. Financial struggles, personality conflicts, the day to day grind, and personal weaknesses all contribute to our imperfect life. However it is a beautiful life to me. Why? Because we are real. What you see is what you get.
We are a family purposely trying to instill initiative, responsibility, and a work ethic in each of our children. I am sure this is a common bond between the modern homesteaders of today. We are striving to live more self-sufficiently so that we can enjoy true freedom. The ability to take care of yourself and to confidently take on new challenges are two advantages of homesteading.
While homesteaders enjoy their independence, they consciously or unconsciously, depending on the person, put themselves in a position to rely on God. He is the Provider of all. I believe that He is intimately involved in our day to day lives. We rely on God to take care of us, provide rain for our crops, health to our animals, etc. We know that King Solomon was right when he wrote, “I know that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice and to do good in one’s lifetime; moreover, that every man who eats and drinks sees good in all his labor—it is the gift of God” (Ecclesiastes 3:12-13).
My children are not fully grown. My husband and I have not seen our hopes and dreams realized yet. However, we are sowing the seeds of initiative and all that it entails. I hope that one day as my children look back on their childhood, possibly telling stories to their own children, that they will have many examples of when they took initiative like Mary and Laura Ingalls. Sharing stories of success as well as times they failed and learned from it will help pass the character trait of initiative to the next generation.
Once again, Lara, your words are “spot on”.
So many times this past year, young couples have asked me for parenting advice. I tell them almost exactly what you’ve written here. Yes, living on a homestead is hard work, but I look at what rewards we reap — family togetherness, the satisfaction of working hard and earning a reward, like movie night, and most of all, respect for the value of work — and it is more than worth it.
Irma,
I cannot thank you enough for your encouraging words. Sometimes I write something like this article and feel very vulnerable. Thank you again.
Lara
Adrienne,
I wish our families could meet one day. As always, thank you for your encouragement. I always enjoy reading your comments.
Lara