Wise and Foolish

This lesson is adapted from the CTR A lesson 36: "I am wise when I choose the right."

Purpose: To help children understand that we are wise when we obey the teachings of Jesus Christ.

Intro: Put different articles of clothing on incorrectly. For example, put a hat on your feet. Talk about how the clothing doesn't do us any good if we don't wear it correctly. When we wear a hat on our feet, it doesn't protect us from the cold, rain, or sun. It is foolish. When we wear it correctly, we get protected. We are being wise when we wear a hat correctly. You can let your kids take turns demonstrating how to wear clothes correctly.

Scripture story: Tell the story of the wise man and the foolish man found in Matt 7:24-27. Talk about how each man felt when the rains came. Explain that if we are wise and follow Jesus Christ's teachings, we will be happy like the man whose house stayed standing. If we are foolish, we will be sad like the man whose house fell.

Activity: On the sidewalk or a cookie sheet, set up two houses made of blocks. Build one block house on a large rock. Build the other on a pile of sand. Pour water on the rock and the sand and watch what happens! The house on the rock stays standing, and the house on the sand falls down.

Song: Sing "The Wise Man and the Foolish Man." Do the actions too of course. :)


Summary: We are wise when we follow the teachings of Jesus Christ.

Wise and Foolish

First Presidency Statements Regarding FHE from LDS.org

"We advise and urge the inauguration of a 'Home Evening' throughout the church, at which time fathers and mothers may gather their boys and girls about them in the home and teach them the word of the Lord. . . . 'Home Evening' should be devoted to prayer, singing hymns, songs, instrumental music, scripture-reading, family topics and specific instruction on the principles of the gospel, and on the ethical problems of life, as well as the duties and obligations of children to parents, the home, the Church, society and the nation. For the smaller children appropriate recitations, songs, stories and games may be introduced. Light refreshments of such a nature as may be largely prepared in the home might be served."

"If the Saints obey this counsel, we promise that great blessings will result. Love at home and obedience to parents will increase. Faith will be developed in the hearts of the youth of Israel, and they will gain power to combat the evil influence and temptations which beset them."(First Presidency letter, 27 April 1915 — Joseph F. Smith, Anthon H. Lund, Charles W. Penrose)

"Homes are more permanent through love. Oh, then, let love abound. Though you fall short in some material matters, study and work and pray to hold your children’s love. Establish and maintain your family hours always. Stay close to your children. Pray, play, work, and worship together."
(President David O. McKay, 1968)

"Well-planned family home evenings can be a source of long-lasting joy and influence. These evenings are times for group activity, for organizing, for the expressions of love, for the bearing of testimony, for learning gospel principles, for family fun and recreation, and of all things, for family unity and solidarity."
(Family Home Evenings, 1970-71, p. v — Joseph Fielding Smith, Harold B. Lee, and N. Eldon Tanner)

"Family home evening is for everyone. It is for families with parents and children, for families with just one parent, and for parents who have no children at home. It is for home evening groups of single adults and for those who live alone or with roommates. . . . Regular participation in family home evening will develop increased personal worth, family unity, love for our fellow men, and trust in our Father in heaven."
(Family Home Evening, 1976 — Spencer W. Kimball, N. Eldon Tanner, and Marion G. Romney)

"Our spiritual progress, individually and as a Church, will largely be determined by how faithfully we live the gospel in our homes. The most important calling of a priesthood holder is that of husband and father. The most divine station of woman is that of wife and mother. . . . Fathers should lead their families in holding meaningful family home evenings. Such experiences will build family unity and influence each person toward increased righteousness and happiness."
(Family Home Evening, 1980 — Spencer W. Kimball, N. Eldon Tanner, and Marion G. Romney)

"Family home evenings should be scheduled once a week as a time for discussions of gospel principles, recreation, work projects, skits, songs around the piano, games, special refreshments, and family prayers. Like iron links in a chain, this practice will bind a family together, in love, pride, tradition, strength, and loyalty."
(Salvation; A Family Affair, Ensign, July 1992, p. 4 — President Ezra Taft Benson)

"Monday evenings should be reserved for family home evening. Local leaders should ensure that Church buildings and facilities are closed, that no ward or stake activities are planned for Monday evenings, and that other interruptions to family home evenings be avoided. The primary emphasis of family home evening should be for families to be together to study the gospel. We remind all that the Lord has admonished parents to teach their children the gospel, to pray, and to observe the Sabbath Day. The scriptures are the most important resource for teaching the gospel."
(First Presidency Letter, 30 Aug 94 — Howard W. Hunter, Gordon B. Hinckley, and Thomas S. Monson)

"We call upon parents to devote their best efforts to the teaching and rearing of their children in gospel principles which will keep them close to the Church. The home is the basis of a righteous life, and no other instrumentality can take its place or fulfill its essential functions in carrying forward this God-given responsibility. We counsel parents and children to give highest priority to family prayer, family home evening, gospel study and instruction, and wholesome family activities."
(First Presidency letter, 11 February 1999 — Gordon B. Hinckley, Thomas S. Monson, and James E. Faust)

"Monday nights are reserved throughout the Church for family home evenings. We encourage members to set aside this time to strengthen family ties and teach the gospel in their homes. . . . Church buildings and facilities should be closed on Monday evenings. No ward or stake activities should be planned, and other interruptions to family home evenings should be avoided."
(First Presidency letter, 4 October 1999 — Gordon B. Hinckley, Thomas S. Monson, and James E. Faust)

FHE lesson with my 2 year old

First Presidency Statements Regarding FHE from LDS.org

Honesty

Topic: Learning to distinguish between telling the truth and telling a lie

Scriptures:
Phillipians 4:8
Alma 27:27
D&C 98:10
Article of Faith 13
Other scriptures about Honesty found here

Song Suggestions:
I'm Trying to Be Like Jesus, Children's Songbook 78
I Believe in Being Honest, CS 149

Lesson:
-Ask if your child understands what being honest is. Explain that being honest is telling the truth and not making up a story.
-Give some examples of being honest and telling a lie (ie. If you tell someone that you made your bed, but you didn't, is that being honest? If you tell someone that you cleaned up your room, and you really did, is that being honest?)
-Read a scripture or two and talk about how the people were trying to be honest, and that Heavenly Father is happy when we are honest and wants us to find these things
-Read the story, The Case of the Broken Mirror, from the January 2010 Friend magazine
-Talk about how you feel when you are honest, and that it makes you happy inside

Activity:
We played a game where the children stood across the room from the parents. Examples of being honest and dishonest were shared. Everytime an example of being honest was shared, the child got to move forward. If the example was someone being dishonest, the child stayed where she was. You can have the children answer the same question, or move from child to child with different examples.

I am sure that there are other activities that you can use, but I ran out of time (and energy) to make the board game about honesty that I wanted to.

Honesty

Getting Closer with your Family

As I thought about what I wanted to write about this month I started thinking about the Family Home evenings I had with my own family growing up. We had the standard lessons with a song and a treat, but we often would sit down and play a game together, make cookies together, or go on walks together. I loved these home evenings. Looking back I don’t think this was an easy out for my parents. It was on these nights that we really got to know each other. We learned how to have fun together and to appreciate each other. So that is my challenge, at your next FHE don’t worry so much about what the lesson is going to be about. Plan something that will allow you to get to know your kids, and let them get to know you. Play a game and ask questions. Find out what they want to be, do, and see. You’ll love to watch your kids interact and become closer to one another and you’ll LOVE getting closer to them!

Getting Closer with your Family

Puppet Show Scripture Stories

Acting out puppet shows is a great way for children to reinforce stories they have heard. It solidifies their knowledge of the story. Another great thing about puppet shows is that it is interesting to your little ones--even the babies--and your older children, also.

I would start with reading a scripture story. Then, I would let each child choose one character to play from the story. Get behind a couch and hold up your puppet. Have fun reenacting the story! Help your children as needed.  Have fun!

The puppets pictured above are actual Bible puppets you can purchase online (Google "Bible puppets"). But you don't need to do something this extravagant. I wouldn't unless they were on super duper sale. I would just  use stuffed animals and sock puppets. An old sock (or socks from the dollar store) together with some yarn and a child's imagination and you have yourself a puppet show. When you do Jonah and the Whale, get out the old Shamoo you got form Sea World, make a Jonah, and you have a story. Want to do Daniel and the Lions Den? Glue some yarn to some socks for the lions' manes, make a Daniel, add a paper crown to one puppet for the king, and you have a puppet show! Use your imaginations. 

Puppet Show Scripture Stories

Keeping a Journal

My grandmother (Norma) has kept a journal practically every day of her life. She has shelf upon shelf of journals old and new. If you want to confirm an event or the weather of a particular day, go to grandma. She could find the information in her journals.

Grandma as been an inspiration to me of record keeping since I was little. I got my first journal when I was about 6. I wrote in it nearly every day. It is fun for me to look back and see what I wrote about. It is telling of what I thought was important at the time.

Make a FHE activity out of it.

It is evident that keeping records is important. Take the Book of Mormon and share a family favorite story. Share your testimony that the things written in the BofM are not just stories, but rather a record that people kept of events that actually happened. What if people hadn't written about when Jesus came? What if we don't write about our lives?

If you haven't already introduced journal writing to your family, now is a great time to start. Even if you have children who are too young to write, you can write for them, and have them draw a picture to go along with what you did that day/week/month.

Give each child who is old enough a piece of paper or a special notebook just for them to write about their day or about a particular activity they participated in recently. Encourage your children to write often their thoughts, feelings, testimony, daily activities ect.

Don't forget to do this yourself too! You may think you'll remember all the fun things your kids and your family does, but you may find that you don't and you'll wish you had written things down!

Happy writing!

Keeping a Journal