Best Gifts

I recently read the thoughts of June W. Dredge. Although I've never met her, I agree with her about some of the best things we can give to children. It's something to think about.



PARENT'S RELATIONSHIP

One of the best things we can give our children is for us as parents to love each other. All the material things in the world don't make up for that love. If parents love each other, it gives children security.
Also, my husband is a schoolteacher, so he has summers off. We have eight children. When my older children were small, we would move during the summers up to my father-in-law's farm. We did that until 1983. The children have had the best of both worlds. They've learned to work, and they had associations with their grandparents. During the school year, the children were more in the city. This built their self-esteem, because they had more people to love them and we were always doing things together. It also taught them responsibility.
After my father died, my mother lived with us. That was a real boost my family. My children had the influence of their grandmother. They learned about their ancestors and heritage. If children know their heritage, they are inclined to build on that.
We need to know where children are and who they're with and what they’re doing. We always had a baseball diamond in our yard and had neighborhood children over. If parents respect children's friends, it builds mutual respect.
--- June W. Dredge, Kaysville, Utah