They say Team Work Makes the Dream Work. It works for us. Maybe it’s because sports are such a big part of my life, but I’ve never doubted that team work is what holds our family together.
Without my wife and kids, I’d be one-sixth of the person I am today. We’re a team through and through. Although we jokingly say to each other, “Team work makes the dream work”, it’s the truth. In our household, team work is key.
Smooth Running Household
A few months ago, we came down with the stomach flu. It was like watching dominoes fall as, one by one we all succumbed to the nausea. My wife got it first and I was the last to fall. The thing with having kids and a household to take care of is that they don’t stop when you’re sick. Things still have to be done and people still have to be cared for.
In the case of the stomach flu, that meant that those who were not sick, took over for those who were. We came together, we got things done, and despite the fact that none of us were feeling great, we kept the household running. Without that team spirit, that “we’re all in this together”, none of that would have happened.
Laundry would have remained piled next to the washing machine, trash would never have been taken out, and we would have blamed each other for things not being done. Team work means that we step up for each other – always.
We have to be there for one another. That’s the only way it’s going to work.
Lifting Each Other Up
I recently wrote about how my son’s old football team of 5-8 year olds picks each other up and works together as one. In our house, it’s the same way.
Having a rough day? There’s always someone to cheer you on. Need some encouragement to tackle a new project? We have your back. We strive for words of encouragement to help each other grow stronger both mentally and emotionally, so that we can weather any challenge knowing that we have people who support us.
Your family is your team. Support one another.
Together We Achieve More
Last summer the kids wanted to build a fort out of sticks in the backyard woods. It started with the oldest and his enthusiasm trickled down to his younger siblings and, eventually, to Becky & me. We strategized, planned, sketched, and gathered materials together, as a team, for a good, solid week.
Becky and I cleared a space where we could build it. By the time we had gathered everything and were ready to build, it took no time at all. You see, the whole time leading up to the actual build, we’d been working together.
We knew what was going to happen, who was responsible for what, and the role we’d each play in the fort’s success. Now, don’t get me wrong, the fort wasn’t enormous or elaborate, but it was built by a team of family members who were working together to create something that would have been nearly impossible to complete alone. Together, we achieved more.
Team work comes in many forms, but it’s got two common themes – respect and encouragement. It’s stepping outside of yourself to lift up those around you. In a family, that means that we’re all working toward our collective success. Team work really does make the dream work in our family. I hope you get to experience in your own.
Leave a Reply