FHE: All Choices Have Consequences

I feel like I've been having a hard time with my 3-year-old lately, and I hoped this lesson might particularly help her.

I basically talked about how we were all given the gift of agency as part of Jesus Christ's plan, which means we all have the ability to choose for ourself how we will behave.  BUT all choices have consequences.  Good choices have good consequences and bad choices have bad consequences.  Then I listed a bunch of choices on paper, cut them out and had the kids take turn pulling them out of a bag.  I asked the kids to tell me what they thought the consequence would be and if it was a good choice or not.

Here are some I used:

Playing outside in the winter without a coat.
Never putting toys away when we're done playing with them.
Helping mommy the first time she asked.
Waiting so long to use the bathroom that there's not enough time to get to the toilet.
Sharing our toys with friends or family.
Waking up too early in the morning or staying up too late.
Never doing school work.
Only eating cookies.
Cleaning up after ourselves without being asked.
Always being kind to others.
Reading our scriptures every day.

I added a few more that I thought of from "real world examples" of actual occurrences from the day as well.

Then we talked about what to do if you need to make a choice and you don't know which choice is good or bad.  (ask for advice and/or pray)

This could be a good opportunity to talk about "good, better, best" but that could also be an FHE topic of it's own, I think.

The kids were really engaged and participated well in the discussion.  It's amazing what drawing mysterious things from a paper sack will do for maintaining attention!

FHE: Peer Pressure

I basically used the lesson idea from 52 Weeks, but sort of told the story of the pre-existence quickly and we focused most of our time and attention on the daily choices sign game.  Although, I changed some of them a bit, and added a few extras.  They really liked the choices game (it's amazing what having a sign can do to help foster the conversation) and I really enjoyed asking them why they would say what they would say, and helped them think of nice ways of saying "no" in each situation, or why it would be a good idea to say "yes".

This was very successful, I thought, and I was amazed at how long their attention span was for this!  I think I'll try to use this same "Yes or No" answering format for other topics.  I feel like we had a great discussion!  My husband and I decided to move to eating our treat for the last few questions, since we didn't realize how long we would end up spending on this (and the kids needed to get ready for bed.)

Here are the questions we used:

1. You and your friends are playing in your neighborhood. One of your friends 

says, "I see flower pots on your neighbor's porch. Let’s go and pick 

them for our magic potion!" 

2. Before church your friend says, "Let's both tell our parents we need to use 

the bathroom and we’ll meet in the hall and play during sacrament meeting! I 

brought my DS with me." 

3. Your little sister asks if she can share your new toy. 

4. A new girl comes into Primary and is sitting all alone. She gets up and asks 

"Can I sit next to you?" 

5. You and your friend find a dollar in your neighbor’s driveway. He says, 

"Let's keep this and buy candy with it!" 

6. Your friend forgot her snack for school. You're really hungry. She asks if she 

can share yours. 

7. You are playing at your neighbor's house and they offer you coffee (we also discussed tea and what kinds of teas are "ok") to drink. 

Your friend says, "Just drink it this once. It's so good. You're Mom will never 

know." 

8. Your friends are sitting with you on the school bus and see a shy girl sitting 

alone. They tell you to make a mean face at her. 

9. Your teacher asks if you will miss some recess to help a student in class that 

you don't like very much with her homework. 

10. Your sibling tells you to throw food at the dinner table. 

11. Mom asks you for help clearing the dinner table. 

12. Your sibling asks you to sing songs with them to help cheer up the baby.

1 Ne 1

I realized, as I read this chapter, that I've always focused on Nephi and Laman when I studied 1 Nephi in the past.  I think for my purposes now, it makes sense to focus more on Lehi, Sariah and the Lord and their dealings with their children.

I find the very first verse useful.  It addresses being "goodly parents" directly:

1 Ne 1:1
I, Nephi, having been born of goodly parents, therefore I was taught somewhat in all the learning of my father

Ok.  So we need to teach our kids everything we know.  A bit obvious.

How?

Not so obvious.

1 Ne 1:5
Wherefore it came to pass that my father, Lehi, as he went forth prayed unto the Lord, yea, even with all his heart, in behalf of his people.

So we can probably pray for our "people" as well.  Obvious.  However, not always practiced...

In verses 12-13 the Lord gives Lehi a warning of the coming destruction to Jerusalem, so he could prepare and warn others (as he does in v18).

Notice that even though the Lord has the power to, he doesn't remove Lehi and his family, he gives the information and lets Lehi do what he will with it.

v16: Nephi speaks of records his father kept of the teachings he gave to his children.

Anyone else thinking of constant encouragement to keep a journal?  Such as here, here, here, here, and here?

Lehi goes forth among the people, and despite the mocking he endures...

1 Ne 1:19
...and he (Lehi) testified of them (his visions from the Lord); for he truly testified of their wickedness and their abominations; and he testified that the things which he saw and heard, and also the things which he read in the book, manifested plainly of the coming of the Messiah, and also the redemption of the world.

I am made uncomfortable by Lehi's boldness- pointing out the wicked activities of others, but when you are a steward, I suppose it is your duty.  We must let our children know when they have made bad choices.

Lehi also bears testimony of the Messiah.

You can bet his children knew that he knew it as well.