Our Family Night - 2015 PLAN

In my last post, I referred to our family's weekly  "Family Home Evening" Night or FHE for short.  This is such an amazing time for our family.  I am incredibly impressed with what my family/kids take away from this each week - even when they fight thru the entire thing some nights.  (Yes, you aren't the only one!)  Even thru this - they retain so much. 

Every family tends to do FHE differently.
        Ours generally consists of:
                 
                 Opening Prayer
                  Opening Song
                  Short Scripture Lesson
                  Learning  "Song of the Month"
                  Closing Prayer
                  Treat or Activity

We have tried doing it many different ways, using cute stories, teaching straight out of the scriptures, picking topics our kids are struggling with and reviewing what they learned in their classes at church.  For me, it seems to work best if I have a plan.  (I know, after my planning post you are totally surprised, right!) 

So, this year we have selected to follow:
THIS

We are going to use her 2011 lesson plans for the entire year.  I really like the way she lays out what is being taught.  Her lessons are short and often include a coloring page or a short activity/craft.  I have an FHE binder which I use to keep track of who is assigned what each week. (Prayers, Song Leader, Lesson, etc) I have a really awesome form that I use to keep track of this.  If you'd like a copy of it - leave your email in the comment section below and I will send you a pdf.   

The binder also houses up to a month of printed off lessons.  Then, if we are having an insane day and the preparation hasn't happened - I can grab the lesson and pretty much wing it if needed.  (Sadly, this happens too often - but the important part is that we are still DOING FHE - and her lessons lend to this - so it is OK!) 

One of my favorite things is the "Song of the Month". (If you use the song of the month from the site above - the flipcharts are printable from it as well.)   I always print off flipcharts to use with the kids.  Since we are learning it for a month - I pin the pages onto a bulletin board that we have in our family room and we leave it up all month.  We usually sing the song 2-3 times during each FHE depending on where their attention is at that point and then after the prayer, during the coloring or activity I put the song on my phone (most are in our churches children's songbook) and we "listen/sing" to it while we do the activity.  It is amazing how much it sticks with them.   Often I will catch one of them singing it days later while they play.  It always makes me smile. 

Overall, I have noticed an amazing difference in our home when we are holding FHE with our kids.  Often they fight thru the whole thing - but there are moments, tender moments,  (usually days, weeks, or months later)  where I can tell that they are learning.   Even on the days when I would swear they (my children) were sent here solely to torment me!! - do you have those, too?  

One of my kids favorite things is we have a "Family Song".  It is in our churches children's songbook, entitled, "Family Night".  They love to sing it.  Here are the words.   Go HERE to listen to it. 

This is the night we've waited for
Always a treat we have in store
We love each other more and more
With every family night.

Stories and games for everyone
Learning the Gospel can be fun
Father and Mother, Daughter and Son
Together on Family Night. 

They LOVE to be the leader because they get to tell us to sing loud or soft and they often clap on their laps through the whole song.

Do you have a regular Family Night with your family where you teach them about things you  believe and hold dear?  What do you do?? 


Love, Haylee