Family Home Evening is something that was always very important to my family growing up. It was understood that you didn't make plans with friends or anything on Monday evenings. We didn't even play with friends on Monday afternoons so that we had time to do our homework before dinner. Because after dinner it was time for Family Night! Usually I really enjoyed FHE as a kid. We had fun lessons, games, treats. We also read scriptures together as a family. I always assumed I would have a similar tradition of FHE in my own home.
Flash forward 10 years and that is finally becoming a reality. I'm sure we should have been doing regular Family Home Evenings that whole time, but let's me honest. We didn't. Ian and I never much saw the point of doing it with just us and then when we had a baby who didn't speak or anything we still saw little point. Let me clarify. I still felt twinges of guilt for not making more of an effort. For that last couple years I have tried harder, but it still ended up being sporadic. One of my goals for this year is to make Monday night Family Home Evenings a priority. So far we are doing great and having lots of fun.
In the past we used the Nursery manual to help us with lessons, but lately we have been looking for inspiration elsewhere. The first week when it was my turn I used a concept and idea I read about in the Ensign. It was great. Last week Ian did a really fun lesson about listening and obeying using Simon Says. This week the pressure was on to come up with another fun and interesting lesson. I found a bunch of ideas on this new website. I didn't even look at them all. I used the lesson on manners. It was perfect for the boys because each of the manners were a different superhero. Weston wore his cape for the lesson and we talked about how we can all be superheroes in our home by trying to be more like Power Please and Thunder Thank You or Cool Can I Help. Anyway, I just wanted to share this website with you if you are looking for FHE ideas.
We are also working on reading scriptures daily as a family. For Christmas we got the Book of Mormon for Latter Day Saint Families. It is great because it has lots of pictures, definitions of hard words, and applicable quotes from general authorities. I highly recommend it.
I definitely can tell a difference in the spirit of our home as we are implementing these habits. They bring us closer to each other and closer to our Heavenly Father. I am certainly grateful for the example my parents set of bringing our family together each week to learn about the gospel and enjoy each other's company. I hope that my kids end up with as fond memories as I have of Family Night.
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9 comments:
Yay for you for doing family night! And for planning something. Usually we sit down and talk about what Claire's class talked about (if she can accurately report!). We've also loved following along with the nursery/sunbeam manual for FHE. It seems to make them remember something when they hear it twice in one day. (We do FHE on Sunday, Taylor works too late Monday).
And awesome work on the BOM.
Awesome! Thanks for passing on the website to check out. I'm glad you like your new Book of Mormon, I was checking out Mom's (I think she has the Old Testament) and it looks pretty fun!
Thanks so much for sharing. We are having an enrichment activity on FHE I am forsure going to share this website~!
I know what you mean about trying to do FHE with no kids or very small kids. The only time Eli and I have done FHE with consistency is when we did it with another couple.
We just started trying to do FHE regularly too. Our lesson for Ivy consists of showing her a gospel picture and telling her about it. (This is Jesus. He loves you. The end.)
We'll definitely have to look into getting that BoM in a few years.
Go Shannon! We are on one of the same goals this year :) I love this lesson you did with super heros. I am totally going to check out the website!
Cool lesson. I will have to check out that site. Thanks!
Thanks for sharing that! Justin and I didn't start doing fhe regularly unitl maybe last year either because it is a little strange to teach a kid that can't understand what you're talking about. But we just use the old FHE manual and use the "adapting for younger children" section or whatever. I'm glad you found a good website though, I'll check it out.
thanks for the website!!
We looooooove that BOM. It's not only great for kids, but makes it easier for me to understand too:)
That's one of my new year's resolutions too! We missed Monday night so we'd better do FHE tonight...thanks for the reminder! And I'm bookmarking that website!
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