FHE Quick Tips

 The "Hot Seat"

This simple activity gives us a chance to focus on one another's positive attributes. We simply invite a family member to sit on a chair (the hot seat), and we take turns saying nice things about him or her. Since we have a large family, it takes some time for everyone to be spotlighted, but we love boosting each other's confidence.  (Teresa Shaw, "Family Home Evening Helps: Two Fun Family Traditions," Ensign, Aug. 2005, 73)
 

Award-Winning Family Home Evenings

(Carolyn Staley, "Family Home Evening Helps: Award-Winning Family Home Evenings," Ensign, July 2004, 67)
A few years ago our daughter started working on what was then the Gospel in Action Award. To help her achieve one of her goals, we began family night by reciting the Articles of Faith [A of F 1], focusing on one each month. Then when our son became a Cub Scout, we started integrating some of his requirements into our lessons and activities. We soon realized that several of our children's goals could be accomplished concurrently, yet still result from their own efforts. Together we have achieved a variety of goals, such as serving others, preparing for emergencies, and discussing finances.

The current Faith in God Award, for children ages 8 through 11, continues to offer flexibility for working on goals individually, in groups, or as a family. Awards for the Young Women and Young Men programs can also be worked on together. Parental involvement is key to your children's success. As you become familiar with their goals, you'll soon discover a variety of ideas to enhance their efforts as well as your family's home evenings.

 

Taking Care of "Family Business"

Cecelie Costley, "Taking Care of 'Family Business,' " Ensign, Oct. 2003, 73
Throughout the years, our family home evenings have changed to meet our growing family's needs. One practice that has helped us accommodate change has been what we call "family business." After the opening prayer and song, we take time to discuss the week's schedule: Who needs to be where and when? Who is taking the car? Sister Smith needs help; could we help her on Thursday? We also discuss family policies: Could we change the way we are doing the dishes? I don't agree with the 10-minute phone rule. Could we discuss it?

"Family business" is an important part of our family home evenings. It is often the best time to listen, compromise, and enforce where needed, instead of during the heat of a debate. During the week I sometimes find myself saying, "Let's think about that and discuss it at home evening," giving me the time needed to seek insight and inspiration. Of course, not every issue will wait for a Monday-night discussion. But if your family has already practiced problem-solving skills together, it will be much easier to resolve conflicts whenever they arise.

  Birthday Spotlights

Thelissa Zollinger, "Family Home Evening Helps: Birthday Spotlights," Ensign, June 2004, 73
Our family loves the special birthday spotlights we periodically do for family night. Since birthdays often occur on weekdays when it's difficult for all of us to gather, we celebrate on the Monday night closest to the actual birth date. In addition to traditional festivities, we spotlight the birthday guest by reading selections from his or her baby book, which contains information through age 12. Based on what we read, the birthday person tries to guess how old he or she was when the event occurred. This tradition helps all of us recall past family events. If you don't have a scrapbook or baby book, you can easily create similar birthday spotlights using yearbooks or family photos or by simply retelling favorite past events from memory.

Next, we dim the lights to watch family slides or video clips featuring the guest of honor. With these fun memories fresh on our minds, we then take a moment to individually express our sentiments about that person. It has been very heartwarming to hear my family's expressions of love and gratitude for one another. We've generally done this activity for our immediate family, but at times we've also invited grandparents and others. In our home, birthday celebrations involve more than presents, cake, and ice cream. We celebrate wonderful memories and strong family ties.

 

Picture a Song

Mark and Cindy Smith, "Family Home Evening Helps: Picture a Song," Ensign, July 2005, 73
When our children were small, we often taught them songs from the Children's Songbookfor family home evening. We would first explain a song, then invite the children to illustrate the lyrics. After learning several songs this way, our children soon had their own illustrated versions of the songbook. Even our smallest children who couldn't yet read could easily follow and understand the songs because of the pictures they'd made. As a family, we enjoyed singing the songs around the house or while traveling. When our children hum or sing Church songs, we feel blessed that they are choosing to "seek the Lord early while in [their] youth." Our hope is that as they grow older, "He will help [them] to know the truth" ("Seek the Lord Early," Children's Songbook, 108).

 

Make it fun

Our children love to play games, so we created our own versions of popular television game shows. For instance, it's easy to jot down four subject categories and make up increasingly difficult questions for each category. I have used topics such as prophets from the Book of Mormon, Jesus' baptism, or scripture stories we have read. Much to my children's delight, I have also included categories with questions about them. (Lori Mortensen, "Four Tips for Family Home Evening," Ensign, Aug. 2003, 69)

Look for ideas everywhere

 Church magazines and the Family Home Evening Resource Book (item no. 31106; U.S. $5) are excellent sources for family home evening ideas. Many New Era, Ensign, and Liahona articles can provide a base for family home evening discussions. For young children, the Friend has stories and activities coinciding with each month's Primary theme and family home evening activities and lesson ideas.

Family Brainstorm

What about those Mondays when you don't have specific plans? Be consistent and hold family home evening anyway. Use the time to brainstorm new ideas together. Some of these planning sessions turned up ideas for memorizing the Articles of Faith, sharing favorite Bible and Book of Mormon stories, and reading aloud journal entries. Also, as I observed my children throughout the week, I discovered needed lesson topics such as respecting others' property, telling the truth, and being a good friend.

Helps for Young Children

Julie Partington, "Family Home Evening Helps: Helps for Young Children," Ensign, Mar. 2006, 71
Is it a challenge for your young children to sit quietly and listen during family home evening? It was for our family. Our children would frequently run around or interrupt the lesson to share an off-the-topic comment or story. So we decided to provide a constructive outlet for their comments and include music whenever possible.

After the opening song and prayer, we invite the children to each take turns sitting in a designated chair and share anything they want without interruption. Sometimes it's something exciting they did or learned that day. Other times the children share thoughts and feelings. Once they've had a chance to talk, they are more respectful during the lesson.

Our children also seem to enjoy family night more when we include singing practice. We either learn a new hymn or Primary song or practice one we already know. Usually, we choose a seasonal song, one that addresses the lesson topic, or something that the Primary is learning for the sacrament program.

By considering our children's needs and desires, we are easily able to adapt our home evenings to include the entire family—even the youngest.

 

 

Primary Theme Home Evening

Pamela Richardson, "Family Home Evening Helps: Primary Theme Home Evening," Ensign, Feb. 2005, 73
Did you know that a lesson outline for teaching your Primary-age children at home is available? Your local Primary leaders do! It's the annual Primary program outline, available at Church distribution centers or from your local Primary leaders. Each year a main theme is selected, along with supporting monthly themes, pertinent scriptures, and song selections. Also included are Sharing Time ideas, which can easily be adapted for use in family home evenings. And there's little concern of duplicating what your children learn in Primary, since the outline suggests more ideas than leaders can use. Conversing with your children each Sunday about what they learned in Primary, specifically Sharing Time, should give you a pretty good idea of what outline suggestions have been used. But some repetition can be an effective teaching method.

Each issue of the Friend magazine also supports the monthly Primary themes. Of course, families may choose other topics pertaining to their needs, but many lesson ideas are already provided in these great resources.

We have found that preparing for our home evenings has been much easier since we started using the Primary outline. More important, our young children have been blessed to have the principles that are taught at Church reinforced in our home.

Involving Teens

Darlene Young, "Involving Teens," Ensign, Sept. 2003, 73
When your children were younger, you faithfully held family home evening, and all seemed fine. Suddenly your children entered the teenage years, and things seemed to fall apart. What went wrong? Part of the problem is simply the age: teenagers begin to separate themselves in identity from their parents, and they are inclined to test and sometimes resist family time and traditions.

Knowing this, how can you continue to make family home evening a positive experience that involves everyone? Below are a few ideas to try:

1. Let your teenagers prepare and teach the lesson. They will care more about the topic when they feel responsible for it. Suggest that the lesson come from appropriate sources such as the Family Home Evening Resource Book, Church magazines, or the scriptures.

2. Ask an older brother or sister to assist a younger child in giving the lesson.

3. Choose a topic and invite all the children to share something on that topic. They could use skits, video clips, real-life experiences, stories from the scriptures, songs—anything appropriate that interests them.

4. Invite teen family members to pose a question about life or from their own gospel study. Then ask the family to study the scriptures throughout the week to find possible solutions; discuss their ideas at the next family home evening.

5. Study your adult Gospel Doctrine reading assignment with your teenagers. Include institute manuals and other resources for youth.

6. Study the missionary discussions together. Look up and memorize accompanying scriptures. Talk about how the discussions are organized to create an effective overview of the gospel.

7. Select a Church book to read as a family. Read sections aloud each Monday night or assign individual portions to be read individually in advance and then discuss them together during family home evening.

8. Select a book from great literature to read together. Great books can lead to many discussions of gospel principles.

9. Choose a new skill to learn together as a family. Consider many options—furniture refinishing, computer software programs, or racquetball, for example. Or take a class together to learn a new language, and practice it together.

Whatever you share in family home evening, try to include everyone. Do whatever you can to keep this evening a positive influence, and your children will come to value your time together.

Family Night Themes

Anita Wells, "Family Home Evening Helps: Family Night Themes," Ensign, June 2005, 69
With our young children, we have found that short, repetitive lessons provide our most successful family home evenings. One year we devoted 13 weeks to learning the Articles of Faith. Each Monday night we'd discuss the meaning of a particular article of faith. Then the following week we'd practice reciting it every day at breakfast. During the subsequent family night we'd repeat all the Articles of Faith we knew and add the new one. Our Primary-age children soon learned all 13, and our one-year-old even chimed in on "We believe."

Since we like to choose themes for family night, we have also studied the missionary discussions, the Ten Commandments, President Hinckley's Six Bs, and the 15 latter-day prophets. The Gospel Art Picture Kit (item no. 34730; U.S. $30.00) makes this last idea particularly easy to implement since the back of each picture contains information about each prophet. The pictures could also be checked out from your meetinghouse library.

Successful family home evenings don't necessarily require a lot of advance preparation. Your family may want to add more activities, but we have found that starting with simple lessons helps us to gather consistently each Monday night.