Reality Mothering

I love reading the Mormon Women Project and the latest post really struck me... Reality TV vs. Reality Mothering. It is about a woman raising two sets of twins. And there was one part that just rang so true to me and is something I think so many of us forget. Here is the portion.

One LDS person said, “Don’t read those parenting books. Just go by the Spirit and read your scriptures.”

I remember thinking that was the oddest advice, because I know prophets have counseled us to seek spiritual help while doing our physical best.

I remember a story about an early church member asking Brigham Young for a Priesthood blessing to help him overcome an illness, but the man hadn’t applied any remedies or gone to a doctor because he thought his faith alone would heal him. Brigham Young told him, “That is very inconsistent with my faith. If we are sick, and ask the Lord to heal us, we need to do all that is necessary to be done. . . It appears consistent to me to apply every remedy that comes within the range of my knowledge, and [then] ask my Father in Heaven …to sanctify that application to the healing of my body.”

That’s how I feel about parenting—we need to try to access information and resources available to us so the Spirit can work through that knowledge.

Sometimes we as members forget the Prayer part and do the action, and sometimes we do the prayer and forget the action... Neither alone tend to get the results we really need.

She also has a blog called Learning Mommy that looks fun. Granted, not having kids, I am not the best judge.

Anyway, just thought I would pass it along.

Chell Leighton