1. We know what life is like now for you...but what was life like 15 or 16 years ago when you "only" had 3 or 4 kids, all very young. Now you have lots of older children that can help with tasks like cleaning, cooking, putting socks/clothes on little ones. How did you handle just having a few little ones? Were you as calm and organized then?
2. Again...16 or 17 years ago, how did you handle the emotional stress of having a handful of little ones. Did you have lots of other, adult helpers throughout the week, or did you do it on your own? How did you discipline them?
3. When your little ones were a bit older, maybe 12 or 13 years ago, how did you homeschool with school age children while also caring for newborns?
4. When your children were preschoolers, did you spend much time teaching them throughout the day, or did you just sort of do what needed to be done to keep life as in order as possible?
1. How do you discipline your children?
2. Your children are always so quiet, calm and polite when a guest is over, how did you teach that? At what age did you expect them to be quiet and not interrupt?
3. How do you do everything you do all day without modern convenience? Tell me your routine and schedule so you can clean, wash, cook and garden.
To an average mother of 3 or 4 children...
1. What was your favorite time with you kids? When they were infants & toddlers? When they were in elementary school? When they were in middle or high school? (When they move out doesn't count! haha)
2. What advice would you have liked to have had when your children were younger.
3. Knowing what you know now, what would you have done differently?
What other questions would you ask? Who else would you like to ask questions to?
3 comments:
Those are good questions! Michelle Duggar has talked a lot about her life when she had 5 children under 5 and says it was the most difficult, challenging time and that she lost her temper a lot. And that is probably why she is so patient, loving and understanding today.
Something I always noticed with Amish children is that they work hard and they play hard. From the very youngest of ages, they are expected to help around the house. But they have great outdoor play whenever they aren't doing chores and such. There's no time and no reason to be lazy. Which probably prevents a lot of disobedience.
...but Amish children can be just as misbehaved as any children, that I've witnessed, but I think that when they're in public they're probably a little freaked out by the rest of us and our behavior, clothes, hair, etc. Plus, Amish children don't really go out as much as we probably do with our kids, and it's probably a huge privilege they don't want to mess up. That and there's a switch waiting for them at home!
I've only seen like 3 episodes of The Duggars, thanks to Teri:) so...I really don't know much about them.
They are good questions Michele...I find myself wondering a lot of these things too, especially what Amanda was talking about, losing your temper. I look at Ms. Jane (Pastor Donnie's wife) and see how patient, kind, and loving she is with her children (the youngest is 10-that could be why!? haha) and think that she couldn't have ever been as horrible as me!
We should be asking these women regularly tips on how to make it thru these times so as not to sin against the Lord. We should also be praying for one another, we're all in the same boat!
Tiffy
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