Pumpkin soup for a Family soul

I read a famous book called Chicken Soup for the Soul and there are many more books which are from the same authors. These authors have accumulated experiences, thoughts, quotes, stories from people from all walks of life to provide some type of upliftment to our souls. One day I thought of a similar idea. I am a true believer in Human Development. Each one of us needs some type of soul upliftment in our every day lives. We are faced with many obstacles as parents and teenagers, so to start off my first piece of work, because my wife makes tremendous pumpkin soup, I am going to call it. ‘Pumpkin Soup for the Soul’. This first piece of work will be for parents.

Victor Hugo said: ‘She broke the bread into two fragments and gave them to her children, who ate with eagerness. ‘She had kept none for herself,’ grumbled the sergeant. ‘Because she is not hungry,’ said a soldier. ‘No said the sergeant, ‘because she is a mother.’

Mothers have a tendency or a god given talent to nurture his children to gain great heights. A quote I heard many years ago and I am not sure who wrote it said: ‘He who rocks the cradle conquers the world’. Mothers fit this role 100 percent. They have qualities of kindness, love, enthusiasm, encouragement, tremendous cooking skills, love reading.

I have 20 principles which will help you keep your excellent skills on the right track of making your home a happy home. This is for fathers and mothers.

1. Always show you love and kindness to your children and spouse.
2. Be a good communicator and director in your home.
3. Always try and be a good role model for your children and spouse.
4. Always tell your children you love them.
5. Always tell your spouse you love him or her even though he or she maybe busy doing something.
6. Be in partnership with your spouse in all that you do.
7. Leave love notes around the house, on the pillow, in the lunch box, brief case, or where ever the note can be seen.
8. Organise a system where house work can be accomplished within a given time with all household involvement.
9. Take time to read to the little children, have a good listening ear with your teenagers to help them solve there problems.
10. Spend 1hour a week possibly on a Monday night specifically geared to family time.
11. Spend holidays together.
12. Do not place too much emphasis on money or material things. The family is the central nucleus in society. Money can make you rich but does it bring happiness in the home? A house does not bring happiness but a home does. I once watched a grieving father on T.V. many years ago who was tearful because he never took time to be with his son as he was growing up. He remembers time when his son brought home school work paintings etc to show him. But this man did not take this important time to look, learn and be excited for his son’s wonderful work. Will his son grew up got into trouble, stole and killed a man. This boy is now in prison. His father now has plenty of time to see his son, sadly in prison. You see this man spent too much time in accumulating wealth.
13. There must be one on one allotted time arranged for each family member each month. It is better to go fishing with your children today otherwise you will be hunting for them tomorrow.
14. Always make sure there is 100 percent trust with friends who maybe babysitting your children under 12years.
15. Always make sure your teenage children show respect to both parents. Parents work together on this. Teenagers are still developing and definitely need parental guidance.
16. Make sure the internet has blocking filters from pornography. There are many filters out there. Weblocker.com is a free software package. The internet is full of pornography filth. Do not let it come contact with your children at all costs, especially in a home environment. Parents be careful.
17. Parents! Spend time together nurturing your relationship. Do not let any person come between you both. Share each others emotions, anxieties, problems, successes. Have many romantic moments.
18. Each parent has god given talents. Please allow each other to fly like an eagle.
19. There should be no control or compulsion in the home. It is natural for a father to portray authority. Do it with love, persuasion and kindness.
20. Parents and children must be grateful for everything you have or given. I.e. presents, help with homework, food, money and friendship.