FHE: Team Work

Today we talked about working together as a family and being a team and the benefits thereof.  We talked about how when we are all waiting for one person to be reverent before family prayer, that is not being a team.  We talked about when we clean up after ourselves, we are being a team.  My 5-year old got to play with a parachute in gym today and we talked about how everyone has to cooperate for it to be fun.  Also, it's not fun to play a board game unless everyone cooperates with the rules.  Then we all played Mario World 3D and practiced waiting for the slower people and playing as a team.

FHE: Bearing Each Other's Burdens

I basically copied this lesson making it more of a "be helpful" emphasis, rather than an atonement/sin emphasis.  I made sure to only write burdens my kids could relate to on the cans.  The kids all really wanted to try carrying the burdens upstairs by themselves.  My 3-year old and 5-year old were able to carry all 10 cans by themselves, though quite difficult for the 3-year old.  However, I think they still understood that it's easier if we all help out.

It was fun and a great analogy.  We'll see if I can bring it up during the week to really get it to stick.  I could see doing this again with older kids and making it more about the burden of sin (which I didn't focus on, since young kids can't really sin...)

FHE: Contributing to the Family

So, I decided it's time to let the almost 4-year-old start having some basic chores and this seemed like a great way to introduce it.  I came up with a plan for displaying a daily schedule for him, and there are chores, fun things, and also some educational activities interwoven throughout the day.

I explain my chart too thoroughly here, if you're interested.

We talked about how I'm having a baby in a few months and how I'll need some extra help and he (well, both of my kids) are big enough to do one thing every day to help me out.  (although, there are really a few things on there... They've already had to help out cleaning up their toys and I think clearing your own plate after you eat is regular enough that it should just be a habit, not really a chore.)

Then I showed them their schedules (not chore charts) and how they work and I've waited awhile to post anything so I could say how well it's working out.  I must say, it's been working quite well!

Here's some pics of the charts:

And here's a link to the cards I put together, printed out, cut apart, laminated, and then display in two 3x3 pocket page protectors.