Family Roles

When I think of a family roles, I often think of the simple mother, father, daughter, and son roles, but there are so many other roles. You could be the role model, the hard worker, the forgiving one, or even the troublemaker. Family roles are what make each of us different. My family for example, my mother has always had a 8-5, Monday-Friday office job, rather than my dad, like in most families. My dad went back to school while I was in high school to become a chief. He picked me up from school, dance, and anywhere else. I do not resent my mother for being a work a lot, because I understand it is because of her we were able to enjoy so many things.

My brother and I had reverse roles a lot of time. He was very complacent in life. I on the other hand, the younger of us, could not wait to get out of the house and be on my own. I started working at my dance studio and watching children on the weekend. I was told on more than one time that I acted more like the older sibling.

Family roles are different for everyone, but they are what makes the family dynamics work so well.        

It Really Does Matter

We discussed a lot this about fertility rates. Throughout class I began thinking about about my life. My father was married before my mother. His first wife, unfortunately, passed away during childbirth, and soon after his newborn, baby boy also passed. I cannot begin to imagine the pain he felt during that time. He later met my mother, converted to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, and married her for time and all eternity. They decided they would try for a child. My mother became pregnant with my brother. Although there was still some complications during birth, she delivered a healthy baby boy, and they were overjoyed. My parents both agreed at that point, they were done having children. They had a happy, healthy, well loved son. What more could they ask for?

My mother began feeling incomplete. One night, she had a dream. She dreamed of a baby girl, waiting, wishing, wanting to come to Earth to join her family. My mother knew then, that there was one more. There was a spirit waiting to join that family. Her family. To gain a body. To learn and grow, through the experiences she needed to have to be able to return to live with Heavenly Father again. Soon after, I was born. 

I am eternally grateful for my mother following that dream. I am grateful they chose to not follow their plan, but the plan Heavenly Father had for them. Having children cannot and should not be a selfish decision. The world is so much more then just us. It is made of up of people we interact with everyday. Who are we to deny those interactions?   

My name is Savannah Wood. I am a student at Brigham Young University-Idaho. I enjoy baking and spending time with my friends and family. I am a child development major, I love to help others, and believe that smiling is the best medicine. :)