Kelly's blog: Bates Family Rules for Harmony

When Gil and I first got married, believe it or not… I wasn’t sure I wanted to have children. I’m sure that surprises most of you, because 19 kids later, it still surprises me! As every parent out there knows; raising kids is not easy. We get asked all the time what the hardest part of having 19 kids is…. My response: the laundry! I’ve learned so much over the years about being a mom, and yet I still have days where I don’t feel like I’ve mastered the art of being one. We’ve been so encouraged by other families, I thought I’d share a few of the “rules” our family lives by in hopes that they may encourage you on a day where maybe you feel overwhelmed or weary in well-doing.
We love God. Our faith is and will forever be the foundation of our family. Having regular family Bible study times gives the family a chance to come together for a common goal.
We recognize we’re not perfect: we might mess-up but we always make-up. This means learning to say, “I’m sorry” often!
We laugh. As you might have guessed, we have more than a few comedians in this bunch! Not only is the saying, “The family that prays together, stays together” true, but you can also add, “The family that plays together, stays together.”
We encourage each other and we never give up on one another. It’s easy to be critical and focus on one another’s shortcomings, but we must learn to forgive! Praise must be a daily dose of preventative medicine that we serve daily.
We talk, talk, talk….and talk some more! Yes, our house is loud with 21 talking all at once, but communication really is key in a good relationship. Relationships are like gardens; there’s a lot of preparation and tending to for progress to be seen. A good relationship requires time and effort!
Now, it’s time for me to get back to bringing up my Bates.