Today in church a speaker talked about the importance of having a Family Home Evening. For those of you who have not heard of this before, it pretty much is what it sounds like.
Family Home Evening is usually held on a Monday--every Monday. On this day every family member knows that they are to put aside all other appointments. On this day the family comes together and spends quality time. There are no other agendas, dates, meetings or events that can be attended in lieu of this night, for it is reserved for the family.
Dinner is eaten together, snacks are shared, games are played, a lesson from the gospel is learned and songs are sung. A great tradition is to ask each how their week went and write the answers in a Family journal.
The speaker read some of the answers from his Family Night Journal, below is a paraphrase of what was written.
1.Jake (the dog) fell in love with Mr. Foamy ( a foam bone)
2.S. won the science fair and writing essay and spent the money on new underwear.
3.B. started a finger and toe nail collection
4. K and susan broke up.
5.S. turned sweet sixteen.
6.L. sold mom a stick for 3 dollars.
Imagine getting together years later at Thanksgiving and reading some of these entries as a family!
The speaker has six boys and one girl. In preparation for this talk he asked each of them what they remembered about Family Home Evening, these were their answers.
1. I remember thinking OH NO! It's Monday again and I can't go to my friends house!
2 & 3. Nothing (Success! he says playfully.)
4. The flip chart. I remember mom bringing it out and that's when I knew Family Home Evening had started. (their mother just passed away 3 months ago.)
5. Having fun family time. I don't recall the lessons though.
6. Enjoying it, being consistent, and when friends would come over we would allow them to join, that was cool and we enjoyed it together as a family.
7. Enjoying it as a family. I remember Jake, our dog, he would attend too and sit there with us. You and mom must have been pretty consistent if I can still remember it. I really appreciate the concept now. With my husband gone a lot and the kids being busy it is hard to find time that we can spend together as a family.
The answers he received from his children correlates with their current strength in the gospel and their family.
He would give one piece of advice, "Ask them now how it is going. Don't wait until they are grown up."
Having instructions is helpful. Here are some of his favorites.
1. On the bottom of a Tiramisu box, Do not turn box upside down. (Perhaps they should rethink the location of this warning.)
2. On a string of Christmas lights, For Indoor and Outdoor use Only. (He took this to mean do not use in space, underwater or inside your stomach.)
3. On a Japanese Ginsu knife, Keep out of children. ( He expects this goes for pets and adults as well.)
Great advice! On that note he went on to give some instructions that he hopes will be more helpful than the above.
You have been reserved for a specific time and place to be born. Strength comes when you remember your divine nature and eternal inheritance. As adults it is our duty to help children have hope.
What is hope? Hope is when you have faith in things that are not seen, but are true. Hope is what the prophet has everyday when he wakes and says to himself , "It isn't as bad as you think it is. Things will work out. Have hope."
The gospel is about change and growth and if guided by the spirit, is happiness and peace.
Instructions:
1. Help others have hope.
2. When you feel the spirit testify of the truth, it is an invitation to act on it.
3. Show love and concern.
4. Be consistent with family time.
5. Speak with your child's teachers and ask them what You can do at home that will help them instill the lessons they are teaching your children.
6. Be consistent with reading the gospel.
7. Prepare yourself before going to a church meeting. It is more important that you prepare yourself to learn than it is for the teacher to prepare themselves to teach. For if you are prepared God will pull out of the teachers mind to have them say what He wants you to hear.
8. If you are a TEACHER: Visit with your child's parent(s) and ask what they are trying to teach them at home so that you can reinforce that lesson when they are at school.
9. Above all be consistent in your family time and your lessons.
I am glad to share this with you. I am grateful for speakers who have experience and are willing to share it with others.
I submit that if you are consistent with your family time ( and it won't be easy. You may feel that it begins and ends with a fight) that you will have instilled lessons that you aren't even aware you are teaching.
Please share some of your experiences or ideas for family home evening. I am so interested in learning from your experiences.
Family Home Evening is usually held on a Monday--every Monday. On this day every family member knows that they are to put aside all other appointments. On this day the family comes together and spends quality time. There are no other agendas, dates, meetings or events that can be attended in lieu of this night, for it is reserved for the family.
Dinner is eaten together, snacks are shared, games are played, a lesson from the gospel is learned and songs are sung. A great tradition is to ask each how their week went and write the answers in a Family journal.
The speaker read some of the answers from his Family Night Journal, below is a paraphrase of what was written.
1.Jake (the dog) fell in love with Mr. Foamy ( a foam bone)
2.S. won the science fair and writing essay and spent the money on new underwear.
3.B. started a finger and toe nail collection
4. K and susan broke up.
5.S. turned sweet sixteen.
6.L. sold mom a stick for 3 dollars.
Imagine getting together years later at Thanksgiving and reading some of these entries as a family!
The speaker has six boys and one girl. In preparation for this talk he asked each of them what they remembered about Family Home Evening, these were their answers.
1. I remember thinking OH NO! It's Monday again and I can't go to my friends house!
2 & 3. Nothing (Success! he says playfully.)
4. The flip chart. I remember mom bringing it out and that's when I knew Family Home Evening had started. (their mother just passed away 3 months ago.)
5. Having fun family time. I don't recall the lessons though.
6. Enjoying it, being consistent, and when friends would come over we would allow them to join, that was cool and we enjoyed it together as a family.
7. Enjoying it as a family. I remember Jake, our dog, he would attend too and sit there with us. You and mom must have been pretty consistent if I can still remember it. I really appreciate the concept now. With my husband gone a lot and the kids being busy it is hard to find time that we can spend together as a family.
The answers he received from his children correlates with their current strength in the gospel and their family.
He would give one piece of advice, "Ask them now how it is going. Don't wait until they are grown up."
Having instructions is helpful. Here are some of his favorites.
1. On the bottom of a Tiramisu box, Do not turn box upside down. (Perhaps they should rethink the location of this warning.)
2. On a string of Christmas lights, For Indoor and Outdoor use Only. (He took this to mean do not use in space, underwater or inside your stomach.)
3. On a Japanese Ginsu knife, Keep out of children. ( He expects this goes for pets and adults as well.)
Great advice! On that note he went on to give some instructions that he hopes will be more helpful than the above.
You have been reserved for a specific time and place to be born. Strength comes when you remember your divine nature and eternal inheritance. As adults it is our duty to help children have hope.
What is hope? Hope is when you have faith in things that are not seen, but are true. Hope is what the prophet has everyday when he wakes and says to himself , "It isn't as bad as you think it is. Things will work out. Have hope."
The gospel is about change and growth and if guided by the spirit, is happiness and peace.
Instructions:
1. Help others have hope.
2. When you feel the spirit testify of the truth, it is an invitation to act on it.
3. Show love and concern.
4. Be consistent with family time.
5. Speak with your child's teachers and ask them what You can do at home that will help them instill the lessons they are teaching your children.
6. Be consistent with reading the gospel.
7. Prepare yourself before going to a church meeting. It is more important that you prepare yourself to learn than it is for the teacher to prepare themselves to teach. For if you are prepared God will pull out of the teachers mind to have them say what He wants you to hear.
8. If you are a TEACHER: Visit with your child's parent(s) and ask what they are trying to teach them at home so that you can reinforce that lesson when they are at school.
9. Above all be consistent in your family time and your lessons.
I am glad to share this with you. I am grateful for speakers who have experience and are willing to share it with others.
I submit that if you are consistent with your family time ( and it won't be easy. You may feel that it begins and ends with a fight) that you will have instilled lessons that you aren't even aware you are teaching.
Please share some of your experiences or ideas for family home evening. I am so interested in learning from your experiences.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Thank you for sharing your thoughts!