The Countercultural Family

You know what I like about doing these podcasts?  I like the weekly kick in the pants from Deacon Tim, and this week's episode really hit close to home.  Deacon Tim tells what he and Connie did to keep their kids outside of the mainstream culture, and if you could meet these kids, you would know that they've done something right.

I began to think about my own parenting practices, especially with an eye to "begin with the end in mind."  What were my hopes for these kids?  Do our time and activities reflect those hopes?  I could do better, I concluded.  There's a new sheriff in town, and she's turning off the TV.  If complaining is an indicator of success, I'm onto something!

On a side note, it occurred to me that I've been woefully neglecting the comments section!  Is it obvious that I'm deep in the trenches of summer with four children?  I promise I'll do a better job of responding to comments this week!

Thanks for sending our podcast around - it's fun to watch it grow!  Please send this week's show to a countercultural family - they probably could use some encouragement!

OPTIONS:

1.To listen right now, click here and select '024 The Countercultural Family'

2. To download the file, right-click and save this link: Download 024_the_countercultural_family.mp3

Comments

[Miz Booshay]

Oh!
This was such a wonderful and encouraging podcast!!!

Deacon Tim,
If you youngest daughter is in our town (Madison) for college, we would sure love to have her to dinner some time. :o)

Cyndi,
Thank you for the encouraging and kind words offered at the end of the p-cast.

I have been a mom for 25 years...and man, I have so much room for improvement.

God bless you both,
I am linking this p-cast tomorrow!

Love,Donna

[Cyndi]

Miz Booshay, I'm a follower/lover of your blog, and I can tell that you are doing a LOT right, else you wouldn't have kids who would be excited about mission trips to third world countries! Thanks for your encouragement these last few weeks - I've noticed, even though I hadn't replied!

[motherofsix]

As the mother of "the six" I want to add to Deacon Tim's comments on our family. I have always been concious of various strong support systems especially throughout the early parenting days, which include loving local grandparents and loving relatives from afar, but also the "grounded" friends from the Saint Gerard's Young Mothers group. Start one of those if you can! Those friends have gone the distance with one another in so many ways. We evidently became the parents of Saint Mary's students, and continued to share wisdom and prayers throughout the teens year until the present with college-aged and grandchildren. Nurture those positive parenting relationships. Like any parent I have always "observed and remained curious how other moms or dadd who seem to managed so well. I opened up to some and shared concerns with them. I discovered that everyloving parent struggles and prays alot! A prayerful support system who are also engaged in the the world, but not of the world, who are fun and thoughtful, has challenged and encouraged me to be a better parent and spouse. I am humbled by their care and hope I have held up my end of the friend-family support. Our kids are blessed with good health and the financial struggles and their mistakes have proved to be good lessons without resentment or false entitlement. Work and play are both balanced and respect is expected though laced with lots of humor at times. No one need take themselves so seriously that they can't appreciate the lighterside of life. Forgiveness is essential! God is merciful and He is always trying to get our attention so I urge the family to be mindful of his love and lean on Him while you do your part.I count my blessings, stay in tune with the culture to better understand it, and work with it within a Christian framework. Our kids are modern, but seem to know by now that God absolutely must be in their picture, everyones picture really, if they are know true happiness and perspective for dealing with problems, their own and others in need. I still worry, and work on deeper trust in His love. Marriage is a great gift to protect and so I thank God for the balance I share as wife and mother with "our" man...Deacon Tim, who has my heart and mind as well as a good debate now and then! Peace

[Barb]

Late to the party ...
We did the radical, I did the radical and my family is dealing with it... I pulled the plug on the TV. No more cable, no more stations. We have nothing.
What have we been doing? A lot of reading, a lot of talking to each other. We linger at the dinner table rather than rush through to watch the 12th repeat of Everyone Loves Raymond. Just like any addiction, we have withdrawal days but I know this is the best thing I could have done - it was 16 years in the making!
Thanks for impressing that upon me on Wednesday deacon tim, you encouraged me to push through and just do it.