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February 15, 2021
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February 15, 2021

Cooperation for planning and Joy for fun

In this week’s article we continue our discussion on raising sexually whole and holy children. We look at two virtues, Cooperation and Joy.

Let’s start with Cooperation. When Stacy first read about this virtue, she kept singing that Sesame Street song in her head, ‘Cooperation, makes it happen’. She wondered to herself what cooperation has to do with sexuality, seemingly like an odd virtue to include in our ongoing discussions in raising sexually whole and holy children. However, cooperation has much to do with a satisfying sexual relationship.

As husband and wife, cooperation occurs when both of you are working together in the household doing chores, budgeting, resolving conflicts, solving problems and meeting goals.

However, you and your spouse also cooperate in planning the size of your family, negotiating the occurrence of lovemaking, and making it through times of abstinence.

In this working relationship at home, you and your spouse are able to teach and exhibit cooperation to your children. For example, by resolving conflict as a couple, you are showing children how they can problem-solve among themselves as children whenever sibling rivalry pops up.

Or you are having a dilemma as a couple that requires respectful listening, when your children are playing together and sharing their toys, they may come to listen to each other, take turns, show respect and work toward a goal of good ole fun.

Parents exhibiting simple, respectful, and cooperative behaviours can have the most astounding impact on their child’s present and future interactions and relationships.

“The more a family practices the virtue of cooperation and fosters that virtue in each child, the more capable you will all be of experiencing the next virtue that is part of a whole and holy sexuality: joy” (Popcak, p.43).

According to Beyond the Birds and the Bees, “Joy is the ability to celebrate the God-given pleasures of life”.

When she is playing with her children, she looks at their bright faces and rosy cheeks ready to burst from laughing so hard or listen to their infectious laughs or seeing them being silly and carefree. She says to herself ‘How blessed am I to have these beautiful gifts fuelling my life every day, God is so wonderful!’” Joy allows us to celebrate the wonders of this life through playing, laughing and being silly, not only with our children but with our spouses as well.

To encourage joy in your homes, we must remember you’re never too old to have fun and play. Try new things, learn something new, play games, tell jokes, and encourage your children to do the same.

Visit aflcrc.org and our social media platforms –

@familylifecommission or WhatsApp 299-1047 as we seek to educate parents about healthy and age-appropriate sex and sexuality conversations with their children.