Counsels for the Church - Ellen G. White

and fretting because everything does not suit them.
A woman does herself and her family a serious wrong when she does
her work and theirs too--when she brings the wood and water, and even takes
the ax to prepare the wood, while her husband and sons sit about the fire
having a social, easy time. God never designed that wives and mothers
should be slaves to their families. Many a mother is overburdened with care
while her children are not educated to share the domestic burdens. As the
result, she grows old and dies prematurely, leaving her children just when a
mother is most needed to guide their inexperienced feet. Who is to blame?
Husbands should do all they can to save the wife care and keep her spirit
cheerful. Never should idleness be fostered or permitted in children, for it
soon becomes a habit.
Parents, Lead Your Children to Christ
Children may wish to do right, they may purpose in their hearts to be
obedient and kind to their parents or guardians; but they need help and
encouragement from them. They may make good resolutions; but unless
their principles are strengthened by religion and their lives influenced by the
renewing grace of God, they will fail to come up to the mark.
Parents should redouble their efforts for the salvation of their children.
They should faithfully instruct them, not leaving them to gather up their
education as best they can. The young should not be suffered to learn good
and evil indiscriminately, with the idea that at some future time the good will
predominate and the evil lose its influence. The evil will increase faster than
the good.
Parents, you should commence to discipline the minds of your children
while very young, to the end that they may be Christians. Let all your efforts
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