Thursday, March 3, 2011

I need to get it together!

ladies, I need some help! LOL
I am kinda feeling a little panick attack coming on...
So, grace turns 8 this year and I am really feeling the pressure! Both Dayna and I grew up on homes where we did not have FHE, or Scripture study etc, so when we first got married we talked about how it was so important for us to do this together, and guess what ... WE SUCK! We do well for about 2 weeks and then one night goes into 2 night and then a week has passed, and then a month, and then.. you get the picture. What is wrong with me. I know how important this is. I know how much we need to do it. I know my kids need it, so why can't i get my act together? Ugh, i am feeling like the worst mother in the world right about now. My little ones are getting bigger every day, and before i know it i am sure, they will be gone, and i will wonder why i didn't go the small and simple things? HELP!!!

3 comments:

Lynn said...

Don't be so hard on yourself. You have the first step down pat already --- knowing how IMPORTANT it is. ; D

Next just doing it is a good thing. If you miss a day or two.....no worries.....just get back into it. I would just pick a set time to do FHE that is RIGHT for your family schedule. Our family has done FHE right after Sunday Dinner for years. It does not have to be on Monday night. And scripture study time has actually changed a thousand times over the years. Due to everybody's schedules changing over and over again. Just pick what is okay for now and just know it will change again sometime. The main thing is to make sure its a pattern. The kids will eventually come to YOU to remind you of scripture study. lol. It's a funny thing.

Maybe just before bed time when all the kids are ready in their pj's and teeth brushed. Scripture stories can be a part of their bed time story routine. Or if you have a moment during their lunch time and their are all sitting at the table eating their lunch. You can read to them then. Of course, if they are old enough to read, they may want to take turns reading now as well, so a different time might be better.

Here is what our Stake Primary President said in our bulletin at the beginning of this year about scriptures and small children. "We are encouraged to read the scriptures daily - with our children. The nursery manual suggests " . . . when telling a story from the scriptures, open the scriptures and point to the place where the story is found. This helps the children understand that what you are teaching comes from the scriptures. Teach them to appreciate and reverence the scriptures." One way to encourage all of our young children to get into the habit of daily scripture studying is to refer to our theme this year in Primary: "I Know the Scriptures Are True". The Stake Primary will post our monthly scripture in the bulletin. We encourage you to help your children find this scripture, read it with them daily, and help them understand and ponder it.

Anyway, just some thoughts. And here is a super cool and fun site if you want inspiration for FHE ideas: http://preparednotscared.blogspot.com/
Check out the labels on her side bar to go directly to anything you might be interested in.

Lynn said...

P.S. Have you heard of FHE groups? I think I have some old instructions around here somewhere, I could send them to you via e-mail.

Basically you get a few women interested in your ward to sign up into several different groups. You want to keep the numbers at around 6 or 7 per group. That way it won't be too much work, but still enough to get you through about 3 months worth of FHE lessons.

It's kind of like a cookie exchange party. Have you been to one of those? Anyway.....everybody in the group decides what topic their want to pick and let everybody else know that. Then you make a complete FHE packet (file folder) on that topic. From opening prayer to closing prayer. Pick the songs, the stories, the activities, the quotes, etc. etc. and make the same one 6 or 7 times. Depending on how many you have in your group.

Then you all meet at a certain designated time to exchange your folders. Of course you keep one of yours for yourself. But at the end of the meeting time, you walk away with 6 or 7 completed FHE lesson packets. Complete with items for the activity, laminated game boards or whatever. Pictures, you name it. ANything goes. Of course, they needs to be a decided on set budget so some don't go to a great expense and others not so much. You know what I mean. Anyway....I belonged to a group for years. I had boxes and boxes of already fun prepared lessons. I gave a some to my sister Donna, if you want to ask her the next time you see her if she still has them and if you could see them for an example. I am sure she wouldn't mind.

Zoe said...

It is hard but don't be hard on yourself. I always thought, my kids are little it's not a big deal. Then before I knew it my kids were big and we're still not having FHE. We would have it sometimes but on a very rare occasion. Sadly my family ALWAYS had FHE so I don't know why I was sooo bad. Anyway this year we set goals as our first FHE and one was to have FHE every week. We decided to get the kids involved so we rotate who has the FHE (Steve, me, Maddie, Syd & Spencer). Then after we've all had a turn we have a FUN night, we went swimming for our first one. I made sure I wrote who was in charge each week on my calendar so we would remember because I live by my calendar. Anyway so far so good which I'm REALLY happy about.

There's always things we can improve on, we're terrible at personal prayers and scripture but we do great with family scriptures and prayer, we do that every night before bed which is god for our little family. I just try not to be hard on myself because I know we're trying and that's all we can do. There's always room for improvement but as long as I know I'm trying that's what is important.