Failure in the Home

Teaching is hard. I firmly believe it is one of the hardest jobs a person can do. There are no breaks. It is mentally and physically exhausting every day. It is very, very public. Nothing ever seems good enough. And the future of the world depends on it. 

Friday I sat in a meeting listening to what will be required of teachers (by legislation) within the coming years. Things like how lessons have to be planned and executed, how evaluations and merit pay are going to work, etc. It was quite unnerving and upsetting. Afterwards my team was discussing the reasons behind all of this and it all came down to one thing. FAILURE IN THE HOME. Satan has been attacking homes and families from the very first day. And he is succeeding! The break down of the home not only has eternal consequences in a spiritual way, but it greatly affects society and civilization today.

Teachers no longer teach academics. We teach how to treat one another kindly. We teach how to speak to one another civilly. We teach how to be responsible. We teach how to be clean and organized. We teach how to think before we speak. We teach how to work hard and hopefully not to take the easy way out. We teach them what it is like to have someone care about them. We teach them how to listen and how to be listened too. We teach them everything they should be learning at home. (And maybe after all of that, we teach them how to do math and reading.)

President David O. McKay (9th President and Prophet of the Church) once said, "The greatest work we will ever do will be within the walls of our home."

So today I beg you, down on my knees, to do this work.

Take notice of your children. 
Teach them. 
Teach them to work...make them work.
Teach them to love by example.
Teach them to serve. 
Teach them to listen.
Teach them to care about others.
**(Amendment): Teach them with some tough love. Tell them no. Show them there are consequences to their actions.

Read with them, play with them, listen to them, spend time with them. 

LOVE them.