Raising Servants

A few weeks ago I made the unfortunate mistake of saying out loud, in front of my mother, that my 13 yo daughter will make a great SAHM someday.

What followed was a fifteen minute tirade about how aweful I am and what a disservice I’m doing to my daughter by raising her to be a home-keeper.  There were quite a few jabs about “idiot” men in there and a few about how those “idiots” can’t be trusted and that a girl must be able to support herself.  Oh, and the whole wasting her brain thing, too.

Now.  I never said anything about my daughter never going to college.  I never said anything about her never working outside the home or never having a career or job before marriage.  I merely pointed out her God-given gift for pleasing people and how much she enjoys doing just that.  This girls loves to cook, sew, clean (even toilets!), rearrange, make things pretty, and play with babies, toddlers, and preschoolers (as long as they aren’t her sister.)  I mean, I can only *wish* I could be the complete package that she is.  And on top of it, she has serious brains.  At one time dh and I thought she might major in math in college ~ and it takes BOTH of us to balance the checkbook, we are SO not her. :)  (Don’t worry, she has flaws.  They just aren’t the topic of this post. :)  Didn’t want you to think I was putting her up on a pedestal, ya know.)

I should also point out that I am also training my son to keep a home.  Okay, I’m not nearly as successful with him as I am with Princess, but he’s giving it the ole college try.  No one knows for certain if their life on this earth is going to be spent as a single or as part of a married couple, so I am an equal opportunity teacher.   I should also say that it’s a good thing that I left my career when Flower Child was two because it’s going to take a few extra years to go through the paces with her, my little messy.

Well, I haven’t been able to come up with anything witty or thoughtful to say about the subject.  Other than I wish I had someone in my life… in my family… who could stand with me For The Family.

Today was a great blog reading day.   Fellow Sonlighter Jess wrote about servanthood (Servanthood: Desirable or Descpicable?) on her Making Home blog today.  Read it…  very thought provoking.  My guess is you’ll either scream or you’ll love it.  Some of the comments at the top tie it in to my rant above.  Enjoy!