Comment

A New Perspective on Motherhood

Thank you for the article “Time and the Single Parent” (July 2000). I am not a single parent, but as the wife of a bishop, I spend much of my time alone attending to the needs of our five children. It becomes difficult at times to remain focused on what is important and not to get totally smothered by everyday mundane chores.

Many truths hit home for me as I read the article, especially the statement, “I had succumbed to an illusion: that the purpose of the family was to support the housework, rather than vice versa. We need to remember that the purpose of our children is not to help keep our homes in order; rather, the purpose of our homes is to help us rear righteous children [and] build eternal relationships.”

The article helped me change my whole outlook on my role as a mother, strive to make positive memories for my children, and listen to them more and give fewer instructions and commands.

Loukia Lerios
Strubenvale, South Africa