You kids are stinking lucky!

My kids are spoiled.  They have no idea how good their lives are.  If they are hungry, they simply have to open the refrigerator and a whole world of deliciousness opens up to them (okay, that isn't really true).  If their pants get too short, their mom quickly takes them to the store to get a few better fitting pairs.  Dinner magically appears on the dinner each evening and somehow magically cleans itself up every night.  Someone uses a sweet and understanding voice to wake them up each morning before school.  They get a warm bath and their mom washes their hair for them (yes!  Even Addie, who is just a few weeks shy of turning 10!).  They never ever go without the things they need.  They may go without the things they want, but never ever without the things they need.

(I must interject that although the following situations do happen, there are plenty of times when my kids obey and do help when asked.)

So why would they cry and throw tantrums when they are asked to do a simple job?  I kid you not, all I have to do is say "will you pick up the living room?" and their knees buckle and they go into some type of strange seizure looking fit.  Honestly, it's as embarrassing as it is ridiculous looking.  

They don't always throw fits.  Other times they just say no.  Flat out no.  Take last Saturday for example.  It had been a long day.  Jared was due to be home from work, I was hurrying to get dinner done (a meal that Addie requested) when I told the girls that I needed some help.  I nicely asked them to clean up the front room when they all said no and turned the TV on.  Seriously?  I was appalled.  I decided that Jared could deal with that one when he got home.  And sure enough, he did.

The very next day, I told the girls that I needed them to help me clean up the front room so the home teachers could come over.  Addie and Kimber both found better things to do.  I kept my mouth quiet and cleaned up without their help.  Little did they know that I had a plan!  The kitchen was really dirty and there was an unusual amount of dirty dishes waiting to be washed.  I finished up the living room and kindly told them that they had missed out on the easy job; they were now on kitchen duty!  I left them to fuss while I stewed about my spoiled kids.  They really have no idea who lucky they are.  I decided that I would tackle the topic in Family Home Evening the following night.

We watched this video first-

And we fell in love with Luis Miguel.  We talked about what life as like for him and his family.  We talked about their kitchen, how much his sister would love to by clothes for her family, the condition of their water, the dirt floor they slept on, etc.  After a minute, Addie said, "I know where you are going with this!"  Dang right that's where we were going with it!

(If you think I'm joking when I say a picture of Luis Miguel will soon be hanging in the kids' bedroom as a reminder, just come see for yourself.)

Then we watched this video, which tells stories of families living in their cars.  (I have some personal issues with the story, like a homeless family who can barely afford to feed their kids but can afford a dog.  A giant one at that.) But, the attitide of the kids is what strikes me.  They aren't weeping because they have to get ready for school in a gas station bathroom.  And they aren't pouting because they eat cold food out of cans.  They see their life "as an adventure."  

I really want my kids to know how lucky they are to live in America.  To live in Taylor.  To live in this house, however little it may be.  And they are so lucky that even on their worst day, it does not compare to what others experience every day of their lives.  They were born into a situation that provides them opportunities that others will never have.  Free schooling!  Clean water!  Electricity!  Warm beds!  The Gospel of Jesus Christ!  Dang it, they are so lucky!  But, so am I.  Because I have just as many opportunities as they do.

At the end of our FHE lesson, I told them that if they started sliding back into their old habits, that we would sit down and watch the video of Luis Miguel again.  Apparently once was enough because things at our house improved.