LDS author of the renowned Out of Jerusalem series,Heather B. Moore, shares Home Evening ideas that she and her husband have used in their family of young children. I particularly like the group lesson creations. Now there's an idea that would sell, if ever there was one.
"Over the last several years," Heather says, "our Family Home Evenings have consisted of reading a story from the Children's Friend and playing games. "I used to be in a FHE group where we'd all spend weeks making cute FHE lessons and pass them around. But when I started writing, all those kinds of things went out the window. So thank you Friend magazines. I love them.
"And thank you Apples to Apples game--you are my kids' favorite."
I thought it would be fun to ask some of my author friends what they do (or did) for Family Home Evenings. This post is Part One of several from romance author, Sherry Ann Miller.
"Family Home Evening was intended to be the most important evening of the week for families," Sherry Ann says. "That's why the Lord included it within the Gospel program.
"Knowing this to be true, my hubby and I agreed that FHE would occur on Monday nights without fail. Nothing stood in its way except a dire emergency (such as a broken leg or an auto accident that occurred within an hour or two of the designated FHE). Church activities, school activities, telephone calls, television and the internet were not allowed to interfere with FHE.
"Everyone in our ward, and within the circles of our children's friendships, knew if they called on Monday night, someone from the household would answer, 'Hello, it's Family Home Evening at the Miller Family house.' Needless to say, after a few weeks, people learned not to call the Miller's after six P.M. on Mondays. Either that, or the children were so mortified at this new custom, they warned their friends not to call on Mondays."
As mentioned in a previous post, these blogs will address a variety of Home Evening situations, and today we’re looking at a house full of teens.
If your family consists of babes to teens, then you might consider splitting the evening, with a mini-lesson and game for the little ones first, followed by treats, then, when the young ones are in bed, hold a discussion for their older brothers and sisters.
I wrote my new book, Please, No Zits! & Other Short Stories for LDS Youth, not only for a fun read, but also as another resource for use in conjunction with scriptures and the FHE manual. Sometimes, if it’s a teenager’s turn to prepare and present the lesson, he or she can be less than enthusiastic. If they have an exciting story that holds their interest, they may be more willing to read it and lead a discussion about the contents.
It really is a great opportunity to listen and understand your teen’s thinking, and to discuss problems before (or after) they arise. Many of the sixteen stories relate to everyday concerns--such as dating when there are no apparent dates; cheating; saying all the wrong things; low self esteem; mission worries; sharing the Gospel; and much, much more for both young men and for young women.
Why not give it a try with a poignant and fun Christmas story? Click here to read Joseph and His Technicolor Nightmare and see if it works for your family.
If your Family Home Evening is on the wild side, with kids out of control, try buying or making a chart that divides responsibilities among every family member--including toddlers. You can even have a Home Evening where you all make the chart. Don't worry if it doesn't come close to perfect. Children love seeing their work on display and feel ownership if they're part of the process.
When our children were young, we made a chart from felt (more great felt ideas coming soon), and created flower pots with holes in the top for Popsicle sticks, each of which had an assignment written on it. This worked well for many years, and now our oldest son and his family do the same thing. It’s never perfect, and mom needs to keep reminding, but if consistently followed, the chart idea can be effective and helps children learn responsibility.
For those new to Family Home Evenings, assignment suggestions are as follows. If you have less than seven people, some can take two. If you have more than seven, split the music into choosing and leading, and invent other assignments such as People Gatherer or Official Welcomer.
Before diving into a variety of home evening ideas, I thought it might be good to outline what we are trying to achieve by holding these activities each week. The First Presidency of the Church promised members way back in 1915 that if they set aside one special evening for activities and learning as a family, faith would develop, and children and parents would bond, gaining protective powers with which to fight off evil influences of the world.
Now that’s a promise we could all benefit from in these latter days. More so now than in 1915. What a wonderful tool. I often wonder why many don’t take advantage of it. Is it because it’s not easy? Or because we can’t see immediate results? Or we have too many children of mixed ages? Or children complain because other activities are more attractive and compelling? Or do we simply get too tired to cope?
In the April 2004 New Era (“Making Monday Memories”) Ryan Carr says, “President Gordon B. Hinckley appreciates invitations to community gatherings on Monday evenings, but he turns them down “with the explanation that I have reserved Monday as family home evening time. I earnestly hope that each of you will do the same.”
I hope that over the coming months, this blog can help more families listen to the Prophet’s voice and fight the good fight. Family Home Evenings are the way to go. They are our hope for a blessing filled future. Let’s face it, no one wants to look back one day and say “If only . . . ”
When our four children were growing up in England, one toddler couldn’t get his tongue around “Family Home Evening,” so this much anticipated weekly event became known as Foam Evening.
Looking back, it seems the new title was more appropriate than little Jeff realized. As parents, we often came close to foaming at the mouth with frustration. The funny thing is that despite all the chaos and interruptions, they still remember those evenings with fondness, and claim they really did learn something.
So if your longing to follow the Prophet’s counsel and hold regular Family Home Evenings sometimes feels like you’re fixing an inner tube that pops a new hole every time you pump, don’t despair. Instead, take a deep breath, smile, and remember Winston Churchill’s famous words—“Never, never, never give up.” Believe me; it’s all worth it in the end. Ask any one of our family. And the ones with children now hold Foam Evenings of their own.
To help others in this grand adventure, I’ve been asked to blog on a regular basis about things that worked for our family, and for others. I look forward to sharing memories and inventing new ones, because FHEs are for all ages and all stages of life.
An author of Christian books,
gained recognition for her short stories in the New Era, an internationally acclaimed magazine for LDS youth.
Her inspirational fiction appeared in the magazine for over sixteen years.
LDS author of the renowned Out of Jerusalem 
"I used to be in a FHE group where we'd all spend weeks making cute FHE lessons and pass them around. But when I started writing, all those kinds of things went out the window. So thank you Friend magazines. I love them.
