
Linda Kracht discusses nine ways to live out your rights and responsiblities as a mom.
The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines a call to arms in two ways. It is either "a summons to engage in active hostilities" or "a summons, invitation, or appeal to undertake a particular course of action." This article calls all mothers to arms in the second sense. The various courses of action are listed for you.
Rights and responsibilities of parents
You have been endowed with specific, inalienable, personal rights: the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness by God Himself. Teach these rights to your children. Protecting and defending these rights is a worthy call to arms.
You have been endowed with two other fundamental rights: the rights of subsidiarity and autonomy. These rights guarantee that the government and/or nosy neighbors will be prevented from interfering with the way you raise your children! These rights, however, can be lost through lack of interest, deliberate negligence, or abuse of your children. Protecting and defending these rights is a worthy call to arms.
You are the primary educator of your children, particularly with regard to teaching and modeling faith and morals. Protecting and defending this duty is a worthy call to arms.
Nine ways to live out your rights and responsibilities as a mom
Love your children authentically. Children can only begin to appreciate, understand and believe that God loves them IF they have first experienced natural, unconditional love from their mothers and fathers. This is a worthy call to arms.
Be your children’s first Herald. This means spreading the Good News about Jesus: retelling the Christmas story, the Easter story, the Abraham story, the Adam and Eve story, the Moses story, the Passion of Christ, and the other Bible stories. This is a worthy call to arms.
Help your children become a priceless friend. That’s a worthy call to arms.
Teach your children how to get along without feeling like they have to go along with the newest craze, trend, or stylish, thing. That’s a worthy call to arms.
Teach your children to become virtuous and saintly. That means teaching and living the cardinal, theological, and natural virtues. This is a worthy call to arms.
Understand your children’s hearts. If you haven't read it already, order The Seven Desires of Every Heart by Mark and Debra Laaser. This is a worthy call to arms.
Teach your children how to become great communicators. Avoid giving mixed messages. This is a worthy call to arms.
Give your children another brother or sister. This will be their best gift of all. This is a worthy call to arms.
Re-adjust and arrange life so that we are not unnecessarily busy. It’s been said that "busy" is an acronym for "Being Under Satan’s Yoke." It probably doesn't need further explanation, because most of us can readily see that being too busy stymies our creativity, joyfulness, prayerfulness, and deliberateness about everyday life. Rearranging and cutting out the unnecessary things in our busy schedules allow us to slow down, smell the flowers, and attend to our children deliberately rather than distractedly! This is a worthy call to arms.
I hope you enjoyed this list. It seemed fitting as we adjust back to-school-activities, sporting events, job changes, and other demands on our time. May God bless each of you today and always.
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Copyright 2024 Linda Kracht
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About the Author

Linda Kracht
Linda is a wife, mother of seven, and grandmother of 23. Linda is founder of Fortifying Families of Faith, LLC and her books include: Daughters Forever, Sons Forever; The Art of Breastfeeding, published by the Couple to Couple League; Mothers Forever, Fathers Forever; Surviving College; Black and White; and A Book for All Seasons.
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