Teaching Young Children In the Home

(FYI, I found this in my list of unfinished posts.  The reason it has taken me so long to post it is because the formatting is driving me crazy and I really wanted to fix it before I posted it.  But now that a year has past, I think I would rather just get it up here.  So sorry about the weird formatting.  When I give talks I don't like to write it out word for word but I use bullet points to help me get to my next train of thought.  I just copied my talk and pasted it right in here.  I wish I had the time to fix it and fill in all the thoughts in between, but I'm just happy to be getting it up here after a year of it just sitting.  I think I gave the talk in September 2011)

So about a month YEAR ago I was asked to speak at a stake fireside. The subject was teaching young children in the home. This is a subject that I am rather passionate about and I actually don't mind speaking so I was very excited for the opportunity and said I would be happy to.

There was so much on my mind. So much I could say. So many way I could approach it. I wasn't quiet sure how I wanted to go about it. I kept studying and praying, looking for guidance on what would most benefit the people in attendance. I thought about what I would want to hear. We all obviously know that we should be doing it, but the main problem -- in our home at least -- is motivation to just do it & then ideas for how to implement it.

I tried to mix my talk with those two things. I found some amazing quotes that I couldn't pass up and lots of great ideas. I figured I would share my talk and ideas with you, because I know I am always in need of some fresh ideas. The quotes are amazing too. Super powerful.

I'm so happy I had the opportunity to speak. It did not go at all how I practiced, which I hope means I was following the promptings of the spirit. But I feel awful because I went over in regards to how long I was supposed to speak (which is actually one of my pet-peeves), I just really felt like I needed to say the things I did. I wasn't able to give as many of my ideas as I had hoped, so if you were there listening, feel free to scroll down if you want to see some more ideas. 

 Anyway, here it is. I would love to hear what you think. I'd also love to hear what works for your family!

Teaching Young Children in the Home

Why Teach?

· In Teaching, No Greater Call it reads: "To teach effectively and to feel you are succeeding is demanding work indeed.  But it is worth it.  We can receive 'no greater call.' . . . For each of us to 'come unto Christ,' to keep His commandments and follow His example back to the Father, is surely the highest and holiest purpose of human existence.  To help others do that as well--to teach, persuade, and prayerfully lead them to walk that path of redemption also--surely that must be the second most significant task in our lives.  Perhaps that is why President David O. McKay once said, 'No grater responsibility can rest upon any man or woman, than to be a teacher of God's children.'"  (Elder Jeffrey R. Holland)

"The Lord said, "this is my work and my glory--to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man" (Moses 1:39).  As you think of the role of gospel teaching in the salvation and exaltation of God's children, can you imagine a duty more noble or sacred?" (Also found in the first chapter of Teaching, No Greater Call.)

· “In February of 1999, the First Presidency issued a call to all parents “to devote their best efforts to the teaching and rearing of their children in gospel principles which will keep them close to the Church. The home is the basis of a righteous life, and no other instrumentality can take its place or fulfill its essential functions in carrying forward this God-given responsibility.”

In the letter, the First Presidency taught that by teaching and rearing children in gospel principles, parents can protect their families from corrosive elements. They further counseled parents and children “to give highest priority to family prayer, family home evening, gospel study and instruction, and wholesome family activities. However worthy and appropriate other demands or activities may be, they must not be permitted to displace the divinely-appointed duties that only parents and families can adequately perform” (First Presidency letter, 11 Feb. 1999; cited in Church News, 27 Feb. 1999, 3).” Quoted by Elder Hales – April 1999

·The Proclamation

Husband and wife have a solemn responsibility to love and care for each other and for their children. "Children are an heritage of the Lord" (Psalms 127:3). Parents have a sacred duty to rear their children in love and righteousness, to provide for their physical and spiritual needs, to teach them to love and serve one another, to observe the commandments of God and to be law-abiding citizens wherever they live. Husbands and wives—mothers and fathers—will be held accountable before God for the discharge of these obligations.

A Gospel of Daily Living

· Example of quiet books for Sunday

· Is the spirit invited in our home?

· What do we fill the walls in our home with?

"From the moment we stepped inside the front door, I sensed a spirit of order, peace, and love. In this family of eight, with seven still living at home, it was clear what the family valued. Evidences of the Lord were all around—pictures of the Savior on the wall, a family photograph and picture of the temple in a prominent place, copies of well-used scriptures and Church videos neatly stacked on a nearby shelf. “The fruit of the Spirit, … love, joy, peace, … gentleness, goodness, faith,” 5 seemed to reside in that home. I imagined the small room filled with children of all ages as parents sat around the low table to “talk of Christ, [to] rejoice in Christ, [to] preach of Christ, [to] prophesy of Christ, … that [their] children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins.” 6 I sensed the answer the children in this home would give to the question posed by Elder Jeffrey R. Holland: “Do [our] children know that we love God with all our heart and that we long to see the face—and fall at the feet—of His Only Begotten Son?” 7 I believe the response to that question in this Japanese home would be a resounding yes!" - ANNE C. PINGREE OCTOBER 2003

Can we say this about our home?

"To you parents of young children, may I share with you some sage advice from President Spencer W. Kimball. Said he: “It would be a fine thing if … parents would have in every bedroom in their house a picture of the temple so [their children] from the time [they are] infant[s] could look at the picture every day [until] it becomes a part of [their lives]. When [they reach] the age that [they need] to make [the] very important decision [concerning going to the temple], it will have already been made.” -THOMAS S. MONSON APRIL 2011

I challenge you to do this if you have not done so already.

How to teach?

· Scriptures

In Behold your little ones it says:

"Use the scriptures as you teach the children. When a lesson suggests that you tell 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. "

o Scripture Study Ideas

·        Board books

·        Gospel art book

·        Church Magazines

·        Family Book of Mormon

·        make picture lessons as you read “Faith is like a seed”

·        Coloring pages online

Family Home Evening

o Nursery Manuel – “Behold your little ones”

o Internet

o Art

o Let them be involved/Hands on

o Use a variety of Teaching Methods see “No greater call” pg. 158 for tons of examples

· Sunday Recap

o Ask what they learned

o Know the lesson/ incorporate it for the week

· Teaching moments

o Everyday occasions that arise are teaching opportunities, do not pass them up!

· 

Music

·        In Teaching, No Greater Call it says:

o   "The appealing rhythms of music help children remember what they sing and the messages of the words. Music can increase children’s understanding of gospel principles and strengthen their testimonies. 

o   You do not need to be a skilled musician to use music in your teaching. If you are well prepared and you enjoy singing, the children will enjoy and learn from the music you use.

o    Example of using “I Love to See the Temple” to teach about temples:

o   I know a beautiful song about temples. As we sing this song, listen carefully to find out what we do when we go to the temple.

o   Did you discover why we go to the temple? (Answers may include that we go to the temple to feel the influence of the Holy Ghost, to listen, to pray, to make covenants with Heavenly Father, and to be sealed as families.)

o   Now let’s sing the song again. This time, listen to discover whose house the temple is.

o   Did you discover whom the temple belongs to? (It is the house of God.)"

Give them opportunities, to serve, to pray, to teach, it is your responsibility and they are not getting them elsewhere

"Lesson 12: Teaching Children through Example and Instruction," Part B: Parents’ Responsibilities to Strengthen Families:

"A few years ago, Bishop Stanley Smoot was interviewed by President Spencer W. Kimball. President Kimball asked, “How often do you have family prayer?”

Bishop Smoot answered, “We try to have family prayer twice a day, but we average about once.”

President Kimball answered, “In the past, having family prayer once a day may have been all right. But in the future it will not be enough if we are going to save our families.”

I wonder if having casual and infrequent family home evening will be enough in the future to fortify our children with sufficient moral strength. In the future, infrequent family scripture study may be inadequate to arm our children with the virtue necessary to withstand the moral decay of the environment in which they will live. Where in the world will the children learn chastity, integrity, honesty, and basic human decency if not at home."

Again, you'll have to read between the lines on what I actually said because aside from the quotes I don't think it resembled this at all.  But let me know if you have questions about any of this gibberish above.  I love swapping ideas especially on this subject because I think it really is one, if not the most important job of parents.

What do you to teach your children in the home?  What works for you?