Living Within Your Means

Can I just say I LOVE this class. It has been a rewarding and worthwhile course I will never regret taking. Brother Williams does a wonderful job in effective teaching and involving everyone.

This week we learned about finances and its influence on the family, and vise versa. We covered the history of work and the family since Adam and Eve to this day. Back in the day work was a lifestyle which was a family endeavor that involved EVERYONE in the family. It was not just mom doing all the household chores; rather the children were involved with the usual tasks we so easily avoid today. There is SO much I want to write about--but due to time I will only highlight several important points covered.

How can we teach children early the importance of working and earning?

-Chores (the children help contribute) How could we best communicate this value to strengthen the family?
-Family unity comes from saving TOGETHER. (i.e. a family trip). This is something we're sharing opposed to this is just for you.
-Have your children make their own purchases from money they have worked for and saved. It will be of greater value and they'll appreciate more because they worked for it, rather than it just being handed to them. It teaches them the importance of work.
-Practice budgeting NOW. There is greater trust when we work in the boundaries we've set (budget).

There is a wonderful book titled, "One for the Money--a Guide to Family Finance" by Elder Marvin J. Ashton. A great resource for family budgeting. Here is a list of some great principles covered in the book"

1.) Pay an honest tithing.
2.) Learn to manage money before it manages you.
3.) Learn self-discipline and self-restraint in money matters.
4.) Use a budget.
5.) Teach family members early the importance of working and earning.
6.) Teach children to make money decisions in keeping with their capacities to comprehend.
7.) Teach each family member to contribute to the total family welfare.
8.) Make education a continuing process.
9.) Work toward home ownership.
10.) Appropriately involve yourself in an insurance program.
11.) Understand the influence of external forces on family finances and investments.
12.) Appropriately involve yourself in a food storage and emergency preparedness program.

Other notes from this week:
-"Don't live like a ten dollar bill, when in reality you are only a one dollar bill".
-A budget brings security.
-Create a budget-Put cash in envelopes (you tend to be more conservative with what you spend).
-Work together. It builds quality relationships. It is a time to teach and learn together. 

Marital Satisfaction

People marry for many reasons. Some listed in my textbook are:
1.) The need for intimacy
2.) Social expectations
3.) Social Ideals and Personal Fullfilment
4.)Desire for Children
5.) Practical solution to problems/challenges
Marriage is a time to develop and strengthen your relationship with your spouse. Do not expect marriage to be bliss and care free. Yes, you can strive to create an environment of love and happiness, but there are going to be many bumps and road blocks along the way. This does not mean you can't work things out together as a couple. Here are some suggestions to keep your marriage strong:
~Make date nights a priority. ~Be selfless; put your spouse's needs first. ~Express appreciation/gratitude. ~Share your experiences--good and bad.
How do you engage each other in decision making? Show you deeply care about their opinion. Say something positive you liked about their opinion--even if you disagree with the overall opinion. Before saying your opinion, ask your spouse to share theirs.

Our Heavenly Father has blessed us with the opportunity to come to Earth and live in a family. Marriage between man and woman is the only marriage ordained by God. We know that both the man and woman have specific gender roles that contribute to the overall picture. Listed below are a couple gender roles:
Girls 
1.) Relationship oriented
2.) Cooperative play
3.) "White matter"
4.) Nurture
5.) Sensitive/Emotionally expressive

Boys
1.) Agressive
2.) Mechanically minded
3.) Spaciously oriented
4.) Physical strength
5.) Competitive play
6.) "Grey matter"
7.) Provide, protection, preside

Here's a question that my Professor asked us: "What would Heavenly Father want us to do with these gender differences?" 

This past week, we've been learning about families from different cultures. Something which I like about the Hispanic culture are their cultural values for parenting. The following are the main values emphasized:
1.) Familismo: an emphasis on family values and family well being, more than individual desires.
2.) Respeto: Respect for, and responsibility toward elders.
3.) Personalismo- a value on individual character and inner qualities.
4.) Simpatía- The value of harmony in relationships--gained by politeness, agreeableness, and respect for others.

This past week in my Family Relations class, we watched a very interesting documentary on how the fertility rate in many countries has declined.  Definitely worth your time watching. There is the assumption that populations will always grow. This is false. One may assume that the choice in having children or how many does not affect anyone except your own personal life. Real Estate, immigration, retirement, human capital, your future children/grand children are just some factors affected by this choice. Some key words to know:
1.) Population: "Total of people living in a region."
2.) Birth Rate: "Births per thousand people born in a population during a year."
3.) Fertility Rate: "Average number of children born over the life time of the average woman."
I would love any feedback regarding the documentaries. Please comment and let me know what you think. What are some possible solutions to the decrease in fertility? 
(Part I Documentary: "New Economic Reality: Demographic Winter") http://byutv.org/show/5e819b00-5e99-4bf4-931e-c154d3c2dc8d/new-economic-reality-demographic-winter
(Part II Documentary: "New Economic Reality: Demographic Winter") http://byutv.org/watch/b3dfa9f3-6e20-4d64-af96-fbf3fd64670a/new-economic-reality-demographic-winter-part-2