1. What is the most important thing? To meet in heaven.
2. How do we expect to do it? By living our vocations in God’s will.
3. What is our vocation? What is God’s will? How do we find out?
As Socrates said, "Know thyself." We change, but some of our aspects stay constant, and by rooting ourselves in our constant characteristics, we can make sense of our changes. As human beings, we are thinking animals and feeling entities with a moral sense. In other words, we are made up of a physical body, mental mind, and spiritual soul. Each has specific needs:
Physical: Sleep, Food, Water, Shelter, Clothing, Practical Skills
Psychological: Intellectual (Knowledge and logic)
Emotional (Love and Respect)
Life Skills
Spiritual: Relationship with God
Worshiping Together
Knowing the teaching of the Catholic Church
The inspirational example of Saints
Each one of these needs is met by following certain rules and guidelines:
Parent’s Responsibilities Children’s Responsibilities
Physical
Buy food, prepare food, teach cooking Eat what's put before you, learn to cook
Chose and buy clothes Take care of clothes (not left on floor)
Provide house Take care of house (esp. own room)
Teach practical skills (doing laundry, etc) Learn practical skills (use tools, etc.)
Use resources effectively
Mental: Intellectual
Provide books Learn in school
Teach life skills Learn life skills
(choosing friends, dealing with disappointments)
Learn more than is required in school
(picking career, contributing to society)
Mental: Psychological
Teach strategies for self-examination Learn to deal with emotions
Praise often and criticize gently Ask for help when you need it
Provide positive and negative consequences Honor your parents
Be fair and objective Use the "I" train - I feel ** when you **
Provide safety and security and I would like you to ** because **.
Provide roots and wings Learn social skills
Listen If not heard, repeat and rephrase
If not heard, repeat and rephrase Listen
Have fun together Have fun together
Provide constructive criticism Use conflict management skills
Contribute to society Learn to contribute to society
Don’t take out my problems on you
Spiritual
Provide leadership for saying Grace Add special intentions
and bedtime prayers Listen to Adventures in Oddessy
Set good example Follow the good examples of the Saints
Drive to Sunday Mass, Confession, Behave at worship services
and Holy Days Religious Education
(Why is each one on this list?)
Chores:
For Yourself (you benefit and don't leave a mess for someone else to clean):
(these you have to do because you exist)
Homework
Practice your musical instrument (if you have one)
Clean your own room
Put everything (especially cloths and books) in its proper place (1/week)
Sweep, vacuum, and/or mop (1/month)
(it must be possible to walk through without stepping on something)
Clear your plate and silverware after meals
Clean up after yourself when you have a snack (put ingredients away,
stick dishes and glasses in sink, and wipe counter)
Hang up your jacket where it belongs
Put your clothes in the hamper
For the family (everyone benefits)
(some of these are mandatory, others are voluntary and paid)
Make meals (including putting away food afterwards)
Set the table, wiping it before and afterwards
Wash dishes
Dry and putting away dishes and silverware
Garbage
Take out the garbage (from inside to outside)
Tuesday night garbage takeout (to sidewalk)
Bring in garbage cans Wednesday (whoever is home first)
Water plants
Clean kitchen ($1)
Put everything away
Wipe all the countertops and appliances
Sweep the floor
Mop the floor
Cleaning bathroom ($1)
Wipe sink and tub
Clean toilet
Mop floor
Clean mirrors
Clean living room ($1)
Pick up any personal belongings and put them in owner's room
Sweep and mop
Wipe up dusty surfaces
Rake leaves ($2)
Mow lawn ($2)
Shovel walk and driveway ($1 per foot of snow)
Laundry (take turns)
Sort lights (hot) and darks (warm)
Put load of clothes in washing machine
Put load of clothes in dryer
Bring up clothes, fold them, and put them in owner's room.
Extras:
Home Improvement
Car
Anything I tell you to do when you're not doing anything while I'm working my buns off.
Consequences should be in line with infractions
Major: (forfeit allowance; grounded)
Throwing a temper tantrum
Hitting someone
Destroying something in anger or boredom
Lying
Breaking one of the ten commandments or some variation
Breaking civil laws
Minor: (1/40th of your allowance)
Not putting things back where you got them from
Not doing an automatic chore
Not doing a chore after being reminded
Not treating others as you want to be treated
Dropping your books or clothes on the floor
Leaving them there after I tell you to pick them up.
Using bad language
Not taking your dishes and silverware to the sink
when you get up from the kitchen table.
Being late without calling
(two minutes of work for each minute I don't know where you are)
(one minute of work for each minute of excused absence)
After no longer late for a long while (you show responsibility) then later curfew, but natural consequences (you still have to get up).
Not calling me when you get home from school.
Eating ice cream without finishing your milk.
Eating ketchup without eating tomatoes.
Eating french fries without eating potatoes.
Eating expensive food when other food is available.
Reading at the dinner table when others are present.
Talking on the phone during dinner.
What should we do with the accumulated fines?
A reward for doing things right. Get one fortieth of your allowance extra for doing chores without being reminded. Same for doing something that everyone benefits (ie. folding clothes).