Heather at Women in The Scriptures recently did a series showcasing different families and what Family Home Evening looks like at their houses. I thoroughly enjoyed reading about these families and their unique traditions.
In the past couple of years Corey and I have really improved with holding Family Home Evening in our home. We have a firm testimony of it, and are grateful for the blessings that have come to our family as we have been consistent in keeping this commandment.
One thing that I remembered while reading these posts is that FHE is supposed to be an "everyone participates," kind of thing. Duh. Of Course! We've always had the boys participate in the lessons, and they play the games with us etc. but they haven't really had an ownership in our FHE's - nothing they were responsible for. Corey and I have taught every lesson, and made every choice related to Monday Night. After reading these posts, and talking it over, Corey and I decided to change that and we introduced our first ever FHE chart.
BEHOLD!!! The First Ever Burton Family Home Evening Chart:
In the past couple of years Corey and I have really improved with holding Family Home Evening in our home. We have a firm testimony of it, and are grateful for the blessings that have come to our family as we have been consistent in keeping this commandment.
One thing that I remembered while reading these posts is that FHE is supposed to be an "everyone participates," kind of thing. Duh. Of Course! We've always had the boys participate in the lessons, and they play the games with us etc. but they haven't really had an ownership in our FHE's - nothing they were responsible for. Corey and I have taught every lesson, and made every choice related to Monday Night. After reading these posts, and talking it over, Corey and I decided to change that and we introduced our first ever FHE chart.
BEHOLD!!! The First Ever Burton Family Home Evening Chart:
This past Sunday we spent some time creating this little puppy. It's a goodwill frame that Corey primed and painted black so that it would look lovely next to our framed picture of Christ and the Family Proclamation in our living room. We each made our little popsicle heads, and after I made the tags, Corey assembled. While we worked on it, we talked to the boys about our new FHE format.
These guys:
Could not have been more thrilled about the idea.
We have been super lucky that our boys have always enjoyed Family Home Evening, and that they have always been willing participants... but doing this took their excitement for Monday night to a whole new level.
It. Was. Adorable.
I couldn't believe how excited they were about it.
It also gave us some worthy Sabbath Day activities (which we are always in the market for... aren't you?). Since Jack was responsible for the lesson this week that meant he needed to prepare a lesson, so he and I scooted upstairs for some alone time.
I read through a list of potential topics and let him choose. He chose "Free Agency." (Which I'm pretty sure he did because we had a really fun lesson about that a while back)
I started by asking Jack what he knew about free agency, and while he talked, I wrote. I was very surprised at all that he knew, and it took very little prompting from me to get a solid lesson together. Then we worked out a little object lesson, practiced reading an applicable scripture and bearing his testimony, and that was it!
Monday was amazing.
You could tell how much Jack absolutely loved being in the spotlight, and getting to teach everyone. His dad and I loved hearing his sweet testimony (of which I did absolutely no prompting). Alaster was thrilled to choose the game (Star Wars Trouble). And it was an all around success.
(The only bad thing that happened was that Alaster was under the impression that we were going to play with our little popsicle stick heads that we made, and he had a pretty good melt down when we explained they were going to stay in the frame and that they were just so everyone knew their jobs. Don't worry though... we made a "stick guy," for Aly the next day that was just for playing. Poor kid!)
All week they have been talking about what did, and also what they get to do at the next FHE. They look up at the chart and get all kinds of excited.
We think this change was a good thing for our family. I frankly can't wait to hear Aly's lesson next week, AND I get to choose the game. Yes! I'm thinking soccer if the weather is nice :)
And in case you are wondering what FSOY is on the chart- that is yet another idea that I stole- this time from my dear friend Rachel. (Apparently you should not tell me your good ideas if you don't want them copied- but please DO share them! We have so much we can learn from each other!)
We had one lesson dedicated to teaching the boys what a standard is, and introducing the For Strength of Youth pamphlet. Now at every FHE, no matter the topic for the evening, we take some time to review one of the standards from the pamphlet. Not all of them apply to the boys at such a young age... dating, for example... but we feel it is important that they learn what the standards are now. We want them growing up knowing what will be expected of them, and gaining a testimony of it before they are even tempted to break it. Also, there are always sub-principles that you can teach and that do apply now which will help prepare them for the bigger things later. Take for instance the standard on sexual purity- we don't actually plan to teach them the exact details of that standard right away, but we can certainly review the sacredness of our bodies, etc.
Anyway... we love FHE.
We love our boys.
And we love the blessings that come from keeping the commandments in our home!
We have been super lucky that our boys have always enjoyed Family Home Evening, and that they have always been willing participants... but doing this took their excitement for Monday night to a whole new level.
It. Was. Adorable.
I couldn't believe how excited they were about it.
It also gave us some worthy Sabbath Day activities (which we are always in the market for... aren't you?). Since Jack was responsible for the lesson this week that meant he needed to prepare a lesson, so he and I scooted upstairs for some alone time.
I read through a list of potential topics and let him choose. He chose "Free Agency." (Which I'm pretty sure he did because we had a really fun lesson about that a while back)
I started by asking Jack what he knew about free agency, and while he talked, I wrote. I was very surprised at all that he knew, and it took very little prompting from me to get a solid lesson together. Then we worked out a little object lesson, practiced reading an applicable scripture and bearing his testimony, and that was it!
Monday was amazing.
You could tell how much Jack absolutely loved being in the spotlight, and getting to teach everyone. His dad and I loved hearing his sweet testimony (of which I did absolutely no prompting). Alaster was thrilled to choose the game (Star Wars Trouble). And it was an all around success.
(The only bad thing that happened was that Alaster was under the impression that we were going to play with our little popsicle stick heads that we made, and he had a pretty good melt down when we explained they were going to stay in the frame and that they were just so everyone knew their jobs. Don't worry though... we made a "stick guy," for Aly the next day that was just for playing. Poor kid!)
All week they have been talking about what did, and also what they get to do at the next FHE. They look up at the chart and get all kinds of excited.
We think this change was a good thing for our family. I frankly can't wait to hear Aly's lesson next week, AND I get to choose the game. Yes! I'm thinking soccer if the weather is nice :)
And in case you are wondering what FSOY is on the chart- that is yet another idea that I stole- this time from my dear friend Rachel. (Apparently you should not tell me your good ideas if you don't want them copied- but please DO share them! We have so much we can learn from each other!)
We had one lesson dedicated to teaching the boys what a standard is, and introducing the For Strength of Youth pamphlet. Now at every FHE, no matter the topic for the evening, we take some time to review one of the standards from the pamphlet. Not all of them apply to the boys at such a young age... dating, for example... but we feel it is important that they learn what the standards are now. We want them growing up knowing what will be expected of them, and gaining a testimony of it before they are even tempted to break it. Also, there are always sub-principles that you can teach and that do apply now which will help prepare them for the bigger things later. Take for instance the standard on sexual purity- we don't actually plan to teach them the exact details of that standard right away, but we can certainly review the sacredness of our bodies, etc.
Anyway... we love FHE.
We love our boys.
And we love the blessings that come from keeping the commandments in our home!
4 comments:
THIS WAS PRICELESS.... our kids always loved doing things for themselves and helping others to learn what they knew.... GREAT Idea about FSOY.... that will be such a great help for all families around the earth.. WHAT a change that would make in the downward spiral of the whole earth.... MISS YOU LOTS.... STILL on baby watch I WILL CALL YOU WHEN I LAND in Indiana and we can plan from there... It will be no later than 1 May..love aunt deedee
When I saw "FSOY" I immediately thought about Seminary Council. Good times.
We are sooo very pleased with your parenting skills and dedication. Your mom would be so very pleased. Keep up the good work and keep letting the boys know how much we love and miss you all.
talking about stealing ideas....this one is definitely one we will be stealing, I am in love with your pictures! Cal and I had to look at them several times and we just giggled! They are so darling! Thank you for being such great examples to us.
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