Influence

As Homemakers, we have tremendous influence.  Used effectively, with honest, good intention, this influence can affect our families in truly profound ways for the rest of their lives.  It's both humbling and I dare say downright sobering to bear daily witness to the power of this influence.   As Homemakers, we see it live and in "real time" each and every day.  

One of the things I love most about my job is the ability to use this influence to comfort my family in ways that aren't always tangible.  While I can't eliminate discomfort from our lives (nor would I necessarily want to),  I certainly have great influence over the many things that my family experiences on a day to day basis.  

The way we view our role, the way in which we carry out our work, the attitude we choose while doing it, how we handle problems and even our seemingly small, insignificant daily decisions influence each person living in our home.  Our families are literally marinating in our influence. 

Really think about that for a minute.  

I am the marinade that my family is soaking in.  

That's a lot of power.

We can CHOOSE to use this power of influence in many different ways, but the ultimate challenge is to use it well and for the good of the family.  

Case in point:

Mondays are challenging for us.  The return to the weekly routine after a weekend of leisure can be a difficult transition for our children (and us, too).  When Kelly leaves to go back to work (out of town), it's always on a Monday.   In general, around our place, Monday = blech.  

I have a few ways that I make Mondays a little more enjoyable and they effectively influence opinions about this first day of the week regardless of the reality of the day.

1)  Starting Monday's school day with art or hands-on activities help everyone look forward to the start of a new week instead of dreading it. 

2)  Baking "Monday Cookies" each week which are something to look forward to once we finish with our day's schoolwork.   

3) Mondays are Linen Wash Day.  The kids make their own beds all week long, but on Mondays, I wash the sheets and in the late afternoon, make up their beds nicely and turn down the covers.   Come bedtime, the room is dimly lit, the blinds are drawn and favourite dolls and stuffies are placed just so atop cozy flannel sheets and down duvets.  Bedtime is SO much more appealing when the room is inviting as it is on Monday evenings :)

* Reece is recovering from a cold, so pardon the towels on the floor to catch the moisture from the humidifier...


One of the ways that I challenge myself in my role as a Homemaker is to "dissect" our days so that I can identify problems or methods that aren't working well.  Influencing outcomes is really just finessing and altering our days to net a better result.  There are limitless methods and no one single way is right for everyone.  What may work now might not work next week or next month and that's what keeps our jobs interesting and challenging ~ responding to changing needs.

How are you using YOUR influence in your home?  What family/household challenges have you been able to overcome by strategically using your influence to net a better result?  Do share!