I had two girls go through the Young Women program, and I have to be honest, it was a hard time for them.\u00a0 When they served as presidents of their classes, the advisors typically took over, not giving them the opportunity to exercise leadership skills.\u00a0 Activities were usually thrown together at the last minute, if planned at all, and they usually didn\u2019t have a purpose.\u00a0 Granted, the Young Men program was in even worse shape; they usually just played basketball, for their lack of planning.<\/p>\n
I believe the leaders meant well.\u00a0 Teenagers are very busy these days, and by the time they have reached Young Women age, the girls have their own ideas and way of doing things, and without support of the parents, Young Women leaders often have their hands tied.<\/p>\n
We as parents need to support this program a little more than we do, under the stipulation that it is organized and has a detailed program in place.\u00a0 The program demands cooperation from everyone.<\/p>\n
Now, in my own opinion, motherhood is not emphasized enough for our Young Women.\u00a0 I remember creating babysitting kits and learning about various ages of babies and toddlers; I don\u2019t believe they do anything like that anymore.\u00a0 In fact, it is often difficult to even find a babysitter these days over the age of 13.<\/p>\n
It seems to me if we want our girls to understand about life we, as mothers and leaders, need to teach them\u2026together.\u00a0 Our girls should learn how to cook, how to clean a house properly, manage a household, and learn a skill.\u00a0 They often have jobs, but they aren\u2019t taught how to live on a budget, saving 50-75% of their money.\u00a0 If these girls graduate from high school with a skill under their belt and savings in the bank, they are miles ahead of so many others.\u00a0 Their skill can earn them a higher paying job that will allow them more flexibility in college.\u00a0 Their savings will give them security to really get what they want out of life.\u00a0 And what they should want out of life is to prepare themselves for marriage and motherhood.<\/p>\n
In this day and age, it is harder and harder for new couples to make it; so many end up going back to live with the folks; they have to take out loans; they often wait to have children until they feel they can afford them.\u00a0 If their time in Young Women\u2019s were used a little more creatively, with sites for the future, these girls would get hold of life earlier, plan better for themselves, \u00a0be able to survive these major decisions that seem to hit them all at the same time.<\/p>\n
We as mothers should be teaching them first and foremost, but with the help of the Young Women advisors, there becomes a partnership, where our girls are prepared for the very difficult world in which they face.\u00a0 Can you imagine the head start these girls would have if they were taken under the wing by the true power of the Relief Society, literally raising them in the ways of valiant, strong women?<\/p>\n
We have the opportunity to train our girls how to not settle in life, but to go after what they want: college; proper communication skills; how to stay away from debt, and how to save.\u00a0 How cool would it be for a young woman, on the eve of her wedding, to be graduated from college (or more than half way), have already put into practice many communication skills with her man, to not only have zero debt, but have money in the bank for a future down payment on a house, a car, a nest egg to allow her to stay home and start a family.\u00a0 Our young women need guidance, and training, to get a good start in this world.\u00a0 It will only get tougher for them.\u00a0 There is no time to waste.<\/p>\n
When a young woman is temporally prepared for the world, she can focus on the spiritual nature of her role as woman.<\/p>\n
This is what the Relief Society can do, as sisters work together, teaching and training as a team, to secure the future of those we love and rise triumphant from this earthlife.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
I had two girls go through the Young Women program, and I have to be honest, it was a hard time for them.\u00a0 When they served as presidents of their classes, the advisors typically took over, not giving them the opportunity to exercise leadership skills.\u00a0 Activities were usually thrown together at the last minute, if […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[484,19],"tags":[242],"class_list":["post-100","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-relief-society-challenge-ideas","category-relief-societyyoung-women","tag-young-women"],"yoast_head":"\n