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Hope chest....
- Thread starter MissJ
- Start date
My sisters and I all had trunks that we stored our crochet edged pillow cases, baby sweater, cap, and booties sets, and anything else we made with our future home in mind.
We also had other items purchased as sales and finances afforded it, like silverware, or dishes.
A hope chest is a nice practical expression of the hope old fashioned gals had of marrying and raising a family. Not many modern women think that way now, and many don't even want marriage or families. Sad how times change.
I plan on grafting my children their favorite fruit trees for a wedding gift. Hopefully they will have a place to grow them.
We also had other items purchased as sales and finances afforded it, like silverware, or dishes.
A hope chest is a nice practical expression of the hope old fashioned gals had of marrying and raising a family. Not many modern women think that way now, and many don't even want marriage or families. Sad how times change.
I plan on grafting my children their favorite fruit trees for a wedding gift. Hopefully they will have a place to grow them.
I had never heard of a hope chest until recently when Samuel mentioned it to me. I didn't know such a thing existed. I think it's a wonderful idea and plan on doing it in the future for both my girls.
It's a brilliant and beautiful idea. I always liked embroidery samplers too 
I've been wondering how I can encourage wife/motherhood in my daughters (16, 12, 10, and 2mo) more. Sometimes I start to feel hopeless...how can needlepoint and cooking compare to Instagram and snapchat?? I am determined my newborn daughter will be raised differently but is it too late for my older 3? Do I put in enough effort into their 'training'? Can they "catch" the important stuff even if I'm not explicitly teaching them? I don't know. I have 1 who loves to cook and bake. That's a plus. They all are great with their younger siblings. That's a plus. My oldest loves to play music (flute, uke, etc) but spends way too much time on her iPhone. They all spend way too much time watching tv. My youngest loves to read (even if they're only Percy Jackson-type books). That's a plus. But, agh! I always feel like I'm failing them on some level.
I've been wondering how I can encourage wife/motherhood in my daughters (16, 12, 10, and 2mo) more. Sometimes I start to feel hopeless...how can needlepoint and cooking compare to Instagram and snapchat?? I am determined my newborn daughter will be raised differently but is it too late for my older 3? Do I put in enough effort into their 'training'? Can they "catch" the important stuff even if I'm not explicitly teaching them? I don't know. I have 1 who loves to cook and bake. That's a plus. They all are great with their younger siblings. That's a plus. My oldest loves to play music (flute, uke, etc) but spends way too much time on her iPhone. They all spend way too much time watching tv. My youngest loves to read (even if they're only Percy Jackson-type books). That's a plus. But, agh! I always feel like I'm failing them on some level.
I am sure you are doing a wonderful job. It is never to late. As long as there is still breathe in your lungs and theirs. There is still a chance. They may look like they aren't paying much mind but when they get on their own. Those things will come back to them.It's a brilliant and beautiful idea. I always liked embroidery samplers too
Know this, society is not just one or two persons but many. Society plays a big fight to try and win over and dictate who we should or shouldn't be. As long as you have done your best and laid the ground work. When they get older, they are not left with only the option society has given them. Rather, they have the option you and your husband gave them. Most children and young people today have but one option. Unless someone comes along and shows them something better.
@Joleneakamama I like that idea. I only have a son at this point in my life. I want to be able to give him something as well.
I had a lot of "hope boxes". I started putting things in boxes when I was about 14.
Do you all realize it's not the things that go in the chest so much as the knowledge, skill and experience that makes those things useful. I was given a Betty Crocker cookbook from a friend when I was 16. She had the exact same one. Once in a while she would teach me how to cook one of those recipes. When I got married I knew how to cook and had the recipes at my fingertips! If it weren't for a lot of 'hands on' all of the pots and pans I set aside would have been useless. Something I did to save room was put money in an envelope in my hopechest so after I got married I could buy what wasn't given as wedding gifts. For the most part my hope chest money went to pay for wedding stuff.
It's never to late as already stated!!! If someone on YouTube can do it, GIRL you can too! Find something you would like to see your girls learn-watch to learn and teach your girls. Crocheted washcloths are a great start and you can give them away to new neighbors with a batch of cookies. Experience and knowledge are things we can give our girls (which don't fit in a box) so they can be an asset/much more of a precious gift to their husbands and extended family.
My mom contact papered a box for each of us girls and put a few sewing and embroidery projects in it for our 13 or 14th birthdays. That's what got me started on a hope chest.
Do you all realize it's not the things that go in the chest so much as the knowledge, skill and experience that makes those things useful. I was given a Betty Crocker cookbook from a friend when I was 16. She had the exact same one. Once in a while she would teach me how to cook one of those recipes. When I got married I knew how to cook and had the recipes at my fingertips! If it weren't for a lot of 'hands on' all of the pots and pans I set aside would have been useless. Something I did to save room was put money in an envelope in my hopechest so after I got married I could buy what wasn't given as wedding gifts. For the most part my hope chest money went to pay for wedding stuff.
It's never to late as already stated!!! If someone on YouTube can do it, GIRL you can too! Find something you would like to see your girls learn-watch to learn and teach your girls. Crocheted washcloths are a great start and you can give them away to new neighbors with a batch of cookies. Experience and knowledge are things we can give our girls (which don't fit in a box) so they can be an asset/much more of a precious gift to their husbands and extended family.
My mom contact papered a box for each of us girls and put a few sewing and embroidery projects in it for our 13 or 14th birthdays. That's what got me started on a hope chest.
@Well loved wife exactly right. The hope chest to me is like a woman's tool box. The things to help her build up her family. A tool box with all the tools one needs is great. Not having the knowledge, skills, or desire to learn how to use the tools is then pointless. Nowadays many don't have the skill or knowledge but they have the desire to learn (d.I.y or YouTube channel lol).
Amen and Amen to YouTube!!
I absolutely agree with you!
On another note- Don't forget we may not be 'old' but we can play that older woman who teaches our daughters and their friends how to love their daddy's, and even husbands.
Maybe have your daughter find something on instagram or Pinterest and both of you try your hand at it. If for nothing else a fun memory might be made. My oldest has interests that she's good at, I on the other hand like to do other things. I'm not artsy and if there isn't directions I generally don't try....she does what she thinks she can. We work side by side on our projects or she helps her sisters with theirs. I've had to learn things to be able to teach them. Don't feel hopeless, just find something that catches their interest and chase the rabbitsIt's a brilliant and beautiful idea. I always liked embroidery samplers too
. Also realize you are just one momma, with a new baby. Life has seasons. We all think we can do more or better, some of us can and should, but if you can't then ask God to show you what to do, when to do it, where to start, for the extra time, money...you get what I'm trying to say. Doing something simple may just open a whole can of worms.
As far as social media is concerned, a lot of it can be toxic, but there are useful things on there. I like Pinterest and Snapchat for ideas. A lot of magazines have pages on the popular sites, and they have led me to recipes, DIY projects, even instructions to make my own Christmas gifts.
You could probably find projects on these sites that tie something you want your daughter to learn and something your daughter loves. A sewing project to make the outfit of one of her favorite fictional characters or a canning project to make her favorite jam, etc.
You could probably find projects on these sites that tie something you want your daughter to learn and something your daughter loves. A sewing project to make the outfit of one of her favorite fictional characters or a canning project to make her favorite jam, etc.