by Ann Scott

Created on: June 30, 2008

I do not believe that a house is always a home. The definition of a house, according to the online dictionary, is: 1. A building in which people live; residence for human beings. 2. A household. The definition of a home is: 1. A house, apartment, or other shelter that is the usual residence of a person, family or household. 2. The place in which one's domestic affections are centered.

If we used only the first definition of each of the two words, we could say that a house is always a home. But look at the second definition of the word home: the place in which one's domestic affections are centered. We can see something there that gives a clue as to what a home really is.

It is not the family who lives in the house, necessarily, that makes the house a home. There have been many families, all the members living in a house together, and they did not have a successful home. It is not the fancy furniture, or the things that they have inside. Then what is it?

Just what is the difference between a house and a home? There is one word in the second definition of the word home that tells us what a home is. There must be affection and love inside for the house to become a home. A husband and wife can live together in a house and not be able to get along. They may or may not fuss and fight, but that does not always mean that they are getting along. There are families with children who do not have harmony in their house. The children fuss and fight, mom and dad are worn out from arguing with the kids, and they get ill and start fussing with each other. Many parents think they cannot control their children, when in reality all they need to do is use the rod of correction on them. Sometimes children are just seeking for a little love and affection when they are acting out. If mom and dad do not seem to care what their children do, the kids will come to believe that they do not.

A home consists of a father and a mother who love each other with an unselfish, undying love; and one or more children, who are brought into this world through the love that these parents have for each other. The children should be taught love and respect from the time they are born, or even before, and the parents must show the children that they love each other. Parents must train their children to live like they want them to live. Training is hard work, because the parents must live the way they want their children to live. In other words, they have to model the correct behavior in front of the children.

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