Dear Mom,

Bless your heart. You know you could be writing this letter to just about any other type of forum out there dealing with the division of labor responsibilities between husbands and wives. I sense that you are a loving and understanding wife whose patience is running on empty. Surely the great joy of a new baby is pushing to the forefront issues that have long been a challenge.

I will tell you this, from my experience traveling around the country speaking to homeschooling parents, this does seem to be one of the universal challenges shared by many equally devoted and loving couples who are in agreement about homeschooling.

In fact, as wonderful as my husband is, the greater share of the responsibility of homeschooling falls on me. He is supportive and to the degree that he is able he helps. I know that he works a full time job so that I am able to stay home to teach and be with the children. Our financial situation and the dependency that we have upon his working can be overwhelming to contemplate. There are days when I see him preparing to go to work and I am suddenly overcome with a great sense of humility. I am humbled by his faithful attention to his responsibilities and to his dedication to his job because it is his working and his working alone that makes it possible for me to be a stay at home mom. Still there are those seasons when the work at home seems more than one person can handle. It is in those seasons that I want a quick fix. I want him to walk in the door one evening and make everyone behave, teach math, help cook supper, fold laundry, and pretend that he really enjoys doing so. The truth is, if I pressed the issue and spoke with him sincerely and with need he would move heaven and earth to do what I asked.

I sense that your dear husband is a loving, attentive husband and father. I sense that you may be feeling the same frustrations that many wives experience when there is a shift in the responsibilities of home. Certainly a tiny newborn is the highest priority in the family. Your husband sees this as well. He is involving himself in the area that must be accomplished in order that the 'people' in the house are cared for. He works a job, he is the 'fun guy' at the end of a long and weary day. He loves you and cares deeply for your health and the health of his children. He provides a financial income that allows you to stay home and breast feed your lovely little baby without the worry that a job outside the home is waiting on you in 2 more weeks. Imagine how you would feel if you had to return to work in a short amount of time, all your children were going to be sent to public school and your sweet baby placed in daycare.

I believe what is definitely needed in your home, is a date night for mom and dad. During your date night spend time patiently explaining your concerns and challenges. Decide at that time to renew your team efforts. The Lord has given you such an abundance of joy and along with that joy the Lord desires that you and your husband grow closer together as a couple committed first to the will of the Father and secondly to one another. After the two of you have had this executive meeting then it is time to present a unified front to the 'troops'. A family caucus is not only important it is necessary for the health of the family. Discuss the issues and present the solutions and let the children see the two of you supportive and concerned for the care of each member of the family including the parents.

I know in my heart that you are a wonderful, hardworking mom, who is eager to do all that is necessary for your family. I know in my heart that your husband is the same. I know in my heart that the two of you are pouring yourselves out for your dear children. I admire you and believe your home to be God centered and that you are sweetly working each day to bring the souls with which the Lord has entrusted you to the fullness of the faith and your Heaven home.

Let us offer up our prayers this morning for all those dear moms that are forced through circumstances to work outside the home and for the burden that many women carry as the sole providers for the needs of their children. Let us offer up our own weariness and frustrations for those moms who find that they must raise children alone with only the financial means that a minimum wage provides. Let us pray for those women and children that are facing domestic violence and the fear that living in such a situation must mean. Through our prayers we are giving the Lord the best we have to offer and allowing Him to use our prayers as tools in His tender and loving hands. Let us trust in the power of our prayers alone until the Lord shows us ways in which we can better help.

Sending out a prayer,

Rita Munn