Monday, March 22, 2010

A Good Idea

So every once in a while I have a good idea. Not very often, but you know occasionally it happens. Today when I was thinking about what I could do for Family Home Evening
- I know you're shocked that we actually have those around this house -
at 3 o'clock this afternoon, I kept thinking of the song "Follow the Prophet." Cory and I are sunbeam teachers in Primary and this happens to be the song they are working on. Our sunbeams LOVE this song! I can actually see all their mouths moving when we sing this - even the boys.

( As a side note, I'd like to say that my favorite part of this past Sunday in primary was during this song. The kids march in place for the chorus and wave their fingers when they say "He knows the way." Well, our kids really get into the actions and Tyler always gets carried away and goes right from the marching - into star wars moves. He still sings and everything. But I love watching his facial expressions when he is swinging that lightsabre.)

Madey has always loved this song too. She taught herself to play it on the piano about a year ago and taught the rest of us ALL of the verses (there are nine). So we sing this regularly for FHE.

My idea, after having the song stuck in my head all day, was to assign all three kids a prophet from a verse and have them teach us about them. We found the pictures in the Gospel Art Kit and I helped Conner and Emmett with any questions they had about their Prophet.

When Emmett was teaching us about Adam, I was so surprised the things he taught us that I had not helped him with (he has and has had GREAT primary teachers). I could tell that he loved teaching us.

Madey taught us about Noah and about Daniel. I learned things about Daniel that I hadn't known before and loved listening to what she had to say about them both. She always includes how people feel when she talks and did with these Prophets too. I could feel her testimony of prophets while she was talking.

Conner taught us about Jonah. When I asked them who they wanted to talk about, Conner immediately yelled "Jonah, Jonah" then sang to himself "learned, deep down inside the whale."
Conner really knew his stuff about Jonah too. He knew that Jonah didn't want to do what Heavenly Father had asked him and that he ran away. His favorite part to teach was when the whale threw Jonah up. He even demonstrated with his toy whale. But the best part was that every time he said anything about Jonah, he followed it with "learned, deep down inside the whale." I think he said it like 8 times during his lesson.

So I know this is a long boring post about our Family Home Evening lesson. But I thought it was good - for us- on so many levels.

My kids got to shine.
I learned, a lot.
Cory enjoyed watching his kids teach.
It was almost no prep, for me.
I think my kids learned a few new things too.
And most of all it was successful family time, which doesn't always happen around here.

8 comments:

  1. That's wonderful! Good family home evenings are the best!

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  2. That is so awesome! I love it when our kids teach FHE as well! I too am always taken back at how much they know that I didn't teach them. You have such fun children! I miss teaching Emmett in Primary. He is such a great kid! He did such a good job on his talk the other week!

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  3. Great idea! I bet it was so fun to see them be the teachers! I am sure they will remember it as one of their faves too! It is always fun to see what they know that you have not told them. Tyler is always saying things that you guys have taught him, so thanks!!

    I had to laugh about Tyler. Fantastic that he can incorporate Star Wars into EVERY situation!

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  4. Ahhh...I wish I could have been there to hear their stories! Sounds like a lot of fun.

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  5. thanks for sharing a good idea. my kids like that song too.
    miss you,
    amanda

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  6. So very awesome!! Sorry I haven't visited your blog, my site does not update anymore for some reason??? You are such a great mom, and I can just see you in primary laughing at the kids and loving them unconditionally. You are the best:) Thanks for the fun post!!

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  7. Great idea...we need to get back to having FHE, it's been a very long time. I love your blog and now I know to come here instead of trying to find out what you're up to on facebook!

    Cynthia

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  8. You have inspired me! Thanks for sharing.

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