“The task of bringing up a…child…is the chief responsibility of the mother, whose unique privilege is indeed to create in her home such conditions as would be most conducive to both his material and spiritual welfare and advancement. The training which the child first receives through his mother constitutes the strongest foundation for his future development.” (From the Baha’i Writings)
Mothers often feel torn between their desire to be at home to raise their children and their desire to be in the work force. The career options available to women in this generation far exceed the options of women in previous generations tempting many women into exciting careers. For some women and families this is a suitable path. But for other women and their families, the mother has sacrificed her career path temporarily while raising her children.
Could it be that a mother’s “unique privilege” is to create a loving and nurturing home environment for her children is so that the child will have the surest foundation for success in his or her future? The sacrifice to stay at home is great for a woman. She may sacrifice income and career prestige or advancement. It is not an easy decision to make. However, when the rewards or achievements are considered in light of these sacrifices it is clear there is much to gain from working in the home as well.
The family is the nucleus of a community. If a family is happy, healthy and strong, the members will go out into the community and provide services, make improvements, and bring enlightenment to the community. When a community is strong it will have a positive effect on a region, a region affects a province, a province affects a country etc. At the heart of a healthy and vibrant society is a collective of healthy and vibrant families.
A family is so important to the well-being of society. It is the mother alone who has the “unique privilege” of creating in her home the conditions that the family dwells in. It makes sense then, that every act that a mother makes with the intention of the wellness of her family in mind is a monumental act that is bringing about a better world one little act at a time.
Laundry, dishes, meals, dusting, vacuuming, all that…is mundane, but it is a part of the sacrifice a mother makes. An intelligent and powerful woman can do these mundane tasks and then spend time with her children and share the wealth of her knowledge and wisdom. She can guide them, speak with them, explore with them. In those first precious few years of a child’s life, the child whose mother is available to them every day receives a great and precious gift. The bounties received by this child will help to shape him or her into a noble being. The hope is that they will become an adult who is selfless, kind, and devoted to a life of service for the betterment of humanity. What greater reward is there for a mother?
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More can be found about the Baha'i Faith at www.bahai.org
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