Family Fun Nights/ Family Home Evening
The Golden Rule

 By: Dawn Salisbury
©2005 A Homemaking Journey

Outline:

 Conductor: Welcome everyone out to Family Home Evening, announce the opening song and the person to give the opening prayer.

 Opening Song: As I have Loved You (Church Hymnal p. 308)

 Opening Prayer:

 Conductor: Announce who will be giving the scripture/quote and who will be following them with the lesson.

 Scripture/Quote: “Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.” Matthew 7:12

 Lesson: The Golden Rule

 Conductor: Than the person who gave the lesson and announce who will be doing the activity/game.

Activity/Game: See examples.

 Conductor: Thank everyone who participated and announce closing song and who will be giving the prayer and blessing on the refreshments.

 Closing Song: Each Life that Touches Ours for Good (Church Hymnal p. 293)

 Closing Prayer:

 Refreshments: Peanut Butter Cookies

LESSON: The Golden Rule

Introduction:

Explain what the Golden Rule means.

Lesson Development:

            Tell the story of the Good Samaritan. Luke 10:1-37.

Part of being a family means that there will be times when we disagree, that we will not feel as loving to each other, and feelings get hurt. Another part of being a family means that we love each other and take care of each other, and we also know each other better than anyone else. We all have to learn to get along, figure things out together and work on goals and other things we want to achieve. It is not always easy.

            For instance, look at tattling. Tattling, or “telling on someone” can go two ways. First, telling a parent or adult that your brother is doing something dangerous and you are worried that he will get hurt is okay. Parents and adult cannot always be in two places at the same time. The other kind of tattling is when you are telling you mother that your sister took your favorite car and won’t give it back is something that you need to learn to handle on your own, and without hitting, biting or pinching.  Use words to work out the situation, not by hitting, biting or pinching. How about hitting? How does hitting, biting or pinching solve anything? If you start to feel so angry that you want to hit someone, it is best if you tell the person you are mad at that you are going to leave the room and cool off a bit and then return to come to an agreement peacefully. This is not always easy either, but getting hit hurts, and taking some time to gain self control is much nicer.

            Now think about a time at school when you saw someone picking on another kid in your class. Did they hurt their feelings, hit them, or make them cry? Did anyone come to their rescue? Would you go to their rescue?

            Talk about situations that are age appropriate and how your children could help other kids in hurtful situations and how they can handle situations in which they may be bullied.

            Talk about other situations that occur in your family and how you can handle them better. Give your children suggestions on how to handle themselves, and what you would prefer they did (i.e. when would you like to be notified if they cannot work a situation out themselves).

Conclusion:

            Explain how helping other people should bring joy to you. Give examples of your own life when you helped others and what blessings you received. Talk about each child and what you love about them, and build their self confidence so that they want to help others and each other.

FAMILY HOME EVENING

Golden Rule Activities

As a family, doing service is always rewarding. Choose something from the list that fits your family the best:

            Visit a retirement Home

            Clean up a neighbor’s yard (i.e. rake leaves, mow, etc.)

            Prepare and deliver a meal for someone who is sick.

            Write letters to grandparents

            Organize a food drive for a homeless/battered women’s shelter

            Make quilts for children’s hospitals

            Donate wearable, in-style clothing to charity

            Offer to baby-sit for a family with small children

            Record books for the blind

            Volunteer at a Recreation center or school.

            Make Superhero masks or outfits and names for each family

            member, and what their super power is.

Doing service for family members is nice as well. Use the following example if this is something that is more “do-able”:

            All the names of family members go into a hat, and everyone then has a chance to pick a name. For the next week, do anonymous service for the name you picked out of the hat.  Do something at least once a day for your family member whether it is chores, compliments or making their bed in the morning.

            At the beginning of next weeks FHE, reconvene to reveal who’s name you picked, and how doing service for that family member has helped you this week.