Inspirational Parenting Quotes

Quotes I find inspirational as a parent:

"Discipline is helping a child solve a problem.  Punishment is making a child suffer for having a problem.  To raise problem solvers, focus on solutions not retribution." L.R. Knost

"The way we talk to our children becomes their inner voice." Peggy O'Mara

"It is vital that our children know that they are loved and safe at home." Quentin L. Cook

"Children are not a distraction from more important work.  They are the most important work." CS Lewis

"He who gives money
GIVES MUCH;
he who gives time
GIVES MORE;
he who gives of himself
GIVES ALL."  President Thomas S. Monson

"No other success can compensate for failure in the home." President David O. McKay

"The most important of the Lord's work you will ever do will be within the walls of your own homes." President Harold B. Lee

"We call upon the women of the Church to stand together for righteousness.  They must begin in their own home.  They can teach it in their classes.  They can voice it in their communities.  They must be the teachers and the guardians of their daughters.  Those daughters must be taught in the Primary and in the classes of the Young Women of the values of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. When you save a girl, you save generations. She will grow in strength and righteousness.  She will marry in the house of the Lord.  She will teach her children the ways of truth.  They will walk in her paths and will similarly teach their children."  President Gordon B. Hinckley

"Mothers in Zion, your God-given roles are so vital to your own exaltation and to the salvation and exaltation of your family.  A child needs a mother more than all the things money can buy.  Spending time with your children is the greatest gift of all."  Ezra Taft Benson

"A child spells love T-I-M-E."

"Whenever a woman strengthens the faith of a child, she contributes to the strength of a family-now and in the future." (Daughters in My Kingdom: The History and work of Relief Society)

"Please excuse this mess, we're busy making memories."
"This house is clean enough to be healthy, messy enough to be happy."

"Never chooose house over hearts." Lisa Jacobson

"Never let a problem to be solved become more important than a person to be loved." Thomas S. Monson

"The best way to make children be good is to make them happy." Oscar Wilde

"The goal is not to have your child outwardly conform to your standards, but rather to be changed from the inside out." Mary Ellen Imperfect Homemaking

When your child is acting out in public, ask yourself these 6 questions (from The Purposeful Mom blog):

• Am I consistent in my teaching/discipline at home before we go out in public?
• Am I preparing my child for wherever we’re going so they know what’s expected of them before we get there?
• Is my child tired, hungry, needing some time just to sit by mom and get control or in need of discipline?
• Have I planned for how I’m going to handle things if they get out of control? Or even if we’re just encountering an embarrassing situation?
• Am I overreacting because I’m afraid of another mom judging my mothering skills? 
• Is my child really doing something foolish? Or just being childish and silly {isn’t morally wrong or bringing harm to anyone}?

Sunday School Teaching Helps

Use:

• Missionary stories and real life experiences
• Conference Addresses
• Scripture References
• Preach My Gospel
• "deep thoughts"/ conversation starters
• topic cards for study circles

Give:

• Teaching/ study assignments for students
• Weekly challenges
• Interactive journals
• Take home quotes

Make it interesting by:

• Making two people 'companions' for studying (like missionaries)
• Split into groups by dividing the class with an imaginary line, dividing by counting off (1-2-1-2) and grouping the ones together and the twos together (or count off by 3's if 3 groups are needed)
• Playing a game that challenges them to understand the topic better, contribute to the lesson, or apply the principle.
• Rearranging the seating
• Use "groups" or "companions" to study a portion of the lesson during class time and share what they have learned with the rest of the class.
• 
  

Sunday School Lesson February 2015 "Why is learning an important part of Heavenly Father's plan?"

This ended up being a two part lesson as well.  I get such fantastic input from the kids that I'm often not able to get through everything I've prepared.  Sometimes this is fine, other times I feel like they need the other stuff I have prepared, so I continue on with it.  That was certainly the case this time, since learning is why we are here on earth and it's also why we come to Sunday School!

After opening with prayer and reviewing how we recognized Heavenly Father's hand this past week, I asked the question, "Why is LEARNING an important part of Heavenly Father's plan?  I got very little response, so we moved right into reading the scriptures found in 2 Nehpi 28:27-30, and then D&C 98:1-12.  I asked what was common between those scriptures that were read, and the response was that we learn precept on precept.  We discussed what that means (learning a little at a time).  I used the analogies of teaching a Kindergarner trigonometry vs. an adult with only very basic math skills vs. a college student or high school student with advanced math skills.  We talked about age and mental capacity, then about the learning required and the understanding required to be able to learn that harder information and to know how to apply it.

I then asked, "Who can tell me what the plan of salvation is?"  I got TONS of partially correct answers..bits and pieces of what the plan of salvation is.  I asked, "Why do you think you are learning about the plan of salvation today when most of you have probably heard about it all your lives?"  A couple of answers were because we could learn more about it, and because we needed to be reminded of things.  Both were great answers.

I had previously printed "Plan of Salvation" from True to the Faith and inserted it into their journals, so I had them all turn to that.  I separated the 10 kids that were in attendance into 3 groups and had them study together for 10 minutes (I set a timer), with the assignment to find things they hadn't known before (as individuals).  I then gave them 10 more minutes (set the timer again) to study as individuals and continue writing down things they may not have known before or that someone else might find interesting that wanted to know more about the plan of salvation.  I gave them strips of paper to write questions on that they now had the answers to (i.e. Q. What are the three basic parts of the plan of salvation?)

We ran out of time just a few minutes into the question writing.

The following Sunday I was released as a Sunday School teacher and called as 1st Counselor in the Primary Presidency, so the last half of this lesson was my final lesson for this class.

We jumped right back into writing questions from the print out with the timer set for 10 minutes.  I asked the question again, "Why is LEARNING such an important part of Heavenly Father's plan?"  We took a couple minutes to discuss that, and I got more input than the first time I asked that question.  I had written a few bullet points up on the board of other things we had already discussed and went over each one and it's importance in the learning process.  These bullets included inviting the Holy Ghost to accompany us to help us to learn, to listen, talk, learn during class, to record feelings and impressions, to record those feelings and impressions in ACTION FORM (we used examples to help us understand what this means), to JUST DO IT, and to share.  We talked about how they could use their journals now that I'm not their teacher, and I encouraged them to continuing using them to follow those steps of learning.

I had drawn a grid of dots on the board while they were writing their questions, and I gathered all the questions they had written.  I only had three boys and three girls this week, so I had a girls team and a boys team.  I would read a question and the first one to raise their hand got to answer the question.  We discussed before we started how an answer could be acceptable even if it wasn't the exact one and that I would make that call.  I ended up having to have all the kids scoot closer to the middle because I couldn't always see the kids raise their hands that were seated to my far right and far left. We also had to come up with a rule that if a hand raised in the middle of my asking the question I had to stop reading and they had to answer the question from what I had already read (some of the kids would just raise their hand so they would have the first opportunity to answer not necessarily because they had the answer first).  The first one to raise their hand AND answer correctly got to write a line from one dot to another to try to make a square.  If a square was made the boys put a "B" in the square and the girls put a "G," and another line was made.  If a square wasn't made, just one line was drawn.  We said a closing prayer at the first bell and kept playing until the 2nd bell rang. It was a ton of fun.

Loved my class and I'll miss them.  My next posts will probably be about Primary sharing time!

Sunday School Lesson January 2015 How can I learn to see Heavenly Father's hand in all things?

This was a fun one!

After opening with a class prayer, we talked about what a tender mercy is.  I recounted Pres. Eyring's experience of writing DAILY circumstances or things where he recognized Heavenly Father's hand in his life or around him that day.

I then asked the question, "What might prevent you from recognizing Heavenly Father's influence in your life?"  Some of the answers were 'being over scheduled," "distractions," "pride," "being focused on yourself," and "attributing good things to luck."

We talked about how learning to recognize His influence could bless them now.  Blessings included: being grateful/ happy, recognizing the good instead of focusing on the bad, humility.  Then we talked about how it could bless them in the future and how these same blessings could snowball into a happier self and a happier life.  I offered suggestions, but there was quite a bit of input from the kids of different scenarios of application.

I shared an experience of when I noticed Heavenly Father's hand in my life, then I invited the kids to share experiences or areas where they notice Heavenly Father's hand.  One girl recounted when she lost an earring she had just received for her birthday.  She lost it on the way to school, looked for it briefly, couldn't find it but didn't have time right then to search further.  She looked again on her way home from school, still couldn't find it, so she prayed.  She found it and recognized His hand.  Another girl shared how her grandpa was really sick and that she could tell it was worrying her dad.  Everyone was already praying for her grandpa, but she also prayed for her dad and she felt that he found peace to get through her grandpa getting sick.  A new convert shared how he has seen Heavenly Father's hand in his family as they have found the gospel (he is super shy so it was extra AWESOME to hear his experience even though he didn't elaborate very much).

I gave them all three minutes to write as many things as they could in their journals where they could see Heavenly Father's hand in their lives and around them.  Then we blew up a balloon and I had paper plate paddles (a paper plate with a large popsicle stick/ depression stick taped to it for a handle, and the outline of a hand on the paper plate representing Heavenly Father's hand). I counted off 1-2-1-2 through all the kids and all the ones were on the left, all the twos were on the right, chairs and bags were scooted to the edge of the wall and all the kids stood up in a line, shoulder to shoulder.  We did a practice run where the balloon had to be kept up in the air by hitting it with the paddle and the paddle passed to the next teammate before the balloon dropped so the teammate could hit the balloon to keep it in the air.  The real challenge was that when the game really started they had to do this same thing but call out one of the things on their list of where they have seen Heavenly Father's hand in their lives before they got to hit the balloon.  If the balloon fell, if they repeated something that had already been said, or if they couldn't remember anything to say, the other team received a point.  It was a low scoring game because they all did really well, but the kids enjoyed it.

I challenged them to write something down each day for the following week of things that were His doing that blessed them.  It was a really fun lesson for everyone.  Remembering our blessings always is.

Sunday School Lesson January 2015 "How does the Holy Ghost help me learn?"

"How does the Holy Ghost help me learn?"

Ideas: from the Redheaded Hostess

While her ideas seemed great while reading them, after I read them and tried to think from a 13 year old perspective, I think I would have a hard time matching any one of the items to the things she had chosen.  Not that I did any better when trying to come up with objects to demonstrate the roles of the Holy Ghost.  So I decided to look at this lesson from my own perspective.  I ended up delivering this in two lessons.

Part I:

I opened class (after prayer) with a "Getting to Know You" game called "Two Truths and a Lie".  Each youth writes down two things that are true about themselves and one lie, then hands it back to me.  Then I read them and everyone has to guess who it is.  I learn something about everyone while everyone has fun.  All these kids have grown up with each other for quite sometimes so it was extra fun.

I began the lesson with reading this somewhat revised paragraph from the LDS Youth Sunday School Lesson site:

"This months lessons are focused on helping you learn how to strengthen your faith in the members of the Godhead as you study the scriptures and share your testimony with others.  You will gain experience following the guidance of the Holy Ghost in your efforts to learn and teach the gospel.  Please, ask questions about what you are learning, seek to learn more, and share what you discover."

I asked the youth to think of when a sacrament meeting was boring.  I then asked them to think of a time they felt the Holy Ghost during a meeting.

We followed by reading D&C 88:118 "And as all have not faith, seek ye diligently and teach one another words of wisdom; yea, seek ye out of the best books words of wisdom; seek learning, even by study and also by faith."

We likened this scripture to teaching/ learning at church from the scriptures and church literature, then I read a quote by Elder Donald L. Hallstrom: "As we come to each meeting prepared 'to seek learning, even by study and also by faith," the Holy Spirit will be our teacher.  If we come to be entertained, we often will be disappointed.  President Spencer W. Kimball was once asked, "What do you do when you find yourself in a boring sacrament meeting?" His response:"I don't know.  I've never been in one."

I asked them to think again of when a sacrament meeting was boring.  What happened in their morning, day, week, prior to the meeting? Had they spiritually prepared to learn or be taught by the Spirit?

I then asked them to think again of when they felt the Holy Ghost during a sacrament meeting.  What happened in their morning, day, week, prior to the meeting? Had they spiritually prepared to learn or be taught by the Spirit?

I shared the statement: Come prepared to be taught by the Holy Ghost!  You will enjoy sacrament and your classes so much more and so will your teachers!

We read this excerpt from "Receiving the Spirit" that I had printed in a note taking format:

An Excerpt from “Receiving by the Spirit”

by A. ROGER MERRILL

Sunday School General President

In our Church meetings, in our personal and family scripture study, and even this day as we listen to the Lord’s prophets and apostles, some of us will receive more than others. Why? I am learning that those who truly receive do at least three things that others may not do.

First, they seek. We live in an entertainment world, a spectator world. Without realizing it, we can find ourselves coming to conference or going to church with the attitude, “Here I am; now inspire me.” We become spiritually passive.

When we focus instead on seeking and receiving the Spirit, we become less concerned about a teacher or speaker holding our attention and more concerned about giving our attention to the Spirit. Remember, receive is a verb. It is a principle of action. It is a fundamental expression of faith.

Second, those who receive, feel. While revelation comes to the mind and heart, it is most often felt. Until we learn to pay attention to these spiritual feelings, we usually do not even recognize the Spirit.

Third, those who receive by the Spirit intend to act. As the prophet Moroni instructed, to receive a witness of the Book of Mormon, we must ask “with real intent” (Moroni 10:4). The Spirit teaches when we honestly intend to do something about what we learn.

 I then wrote on the board:

1. Seek-How can we seek?

• ask questions, write them down
• study the scriptures
• read other church literature (i.e. the New Era, Ensign, church history, etc.)
• be ready to learn
• pray for the Spirit

2. Feel-How can we recognize the Spirit?

• pay attention to how you feel
• recognize revelation that comes to mind and heart as coming from the Spirit
• record feelings and inspirations
• increase activities that help you feel the Spirit
• Pray

3. Intend to Act-What can we do to act upon what we are inspired to do?

• Record personal revelation or promptings or thoughts that come to your mind in action form
• Take notes
• Write an action plan and/or goals
• Pray

I've been wanting to do something with interactive Sunday School journals, and this lesson was the perfect way to introduce them.  I still don't know the kids that well since this was only the second week I taught, so I took blank notebooks and handed them out.  I had them write their name, address, phone number, favorite color, interests, and a scripture or scripture story or a hymn they especially love.

I then asked them if anyone had learned anything new today?  Did anyone have any feelings or impressions?  Did anyone want to share them?  I then encouraged them to record those feelings and/or inspirations in their new 'journals.'  I asked, "Do you understand how the Holy Ghost helps you learn?"  "Does anyone have any additional questions?"

I had the youth return the notebooks to me with their notes taken on the excerpt from "Receiving by the Spirit." I intend to make a cute scrapbook-y cover individual to each notebook according to the information they wrote in them and will tape the excerpt into the notebook as an example for them so they can see how they can use their journals.  I'll be handing the new and improved notebooks back to them at the beginning of the following week.

Part II:

I began by asking what the substitute teacher taught the previous week (my kids were sick and hubby had a meeting during second hour he couldn't miss, so I stayed home), then asked if anyone remembered what I had taught two weeks ago.  No one could remember, but when I mentioned the Holy Ghost and gave a quick review there were lots of comments about the lesson, so I knew they didn't completely forget!

I handed out their completed journals, went through it with them and how they work and left it up to each individual as to whether they wanted to take it home or hand it in at the end of class each Sunday.  I did say that if they took it home that I would expect them to bring it back each Sunday for class.  It ended up being about half that took it home, and half that left theirs with me.

I then mentioned that we would be playing a game at then end that would test their note taking skills.

I asked a class member to read this first part of a print out I had put in their journals...

Learning by the Holy Ghost (Preach My Gospel p. 18)

Your gospel study is most effective when you are taught by the Holy Ghost. Always begin your gospel study by praying for the Holy Ghost to help you learn. He will bring knowledge and conviction that will bless your life and allow you to bless the lives of others. Your faith in Jesus Christ will increase. Your desire to repent and improve will grow.

After we read this I realized I forgot to open the lesson with a prayer, so I pointed out the best way to learn was to invite the Holy Ghost with prayer, and asked for a volunteer for prayer =).  I didn't do it on purpose, but it fit right in.

Then we continued with a different class member reading...

This kind of study prepares you for service, offers solace, resolves problems, and gives you the strength to endure to the end. Successful gospel study requires desire and action. “For he that diligently seeketh shall find; and the mysteries of God shall be unfolded unto them, by the power of the Holy Ghost, as well in these times as in times of old” (1 Nephi 10:19). Like Enos, as you hunger to know the words of eternal life and as you allow these words to “[sink] deep into [your] heart” (Enos 1:3), the Holy Ghost will open your mind and heart to greater light and understanding.

Learning the gospel is also a process of receiving revelation (see Jacob 4:8). To Oliver Cowdery the Lord said: “Behold, you have not understood; you have supposed that I would give it unto you, when you took no thought save it was to ask me. But, behold, I say unto you, that you must study it out in your mind; then you must ask me if it be right, and if it is right I will cause that your bosom shall burn within you; therefore, you shall feel that it is right” (D&C 9:7–8). As you study, pay careful attention to ideas that come to your mind and feelings that come to your heart, particularly regarding the people you are teaching.

We talked about how we have a role and the Holy Ghost has a role in teaching us.  I invited them to read the following scriptures found at the bottom of their study guide in their journals and to call out different roles that either the Holy Ghost had or that we fulfilled in being taught by the Holy Ghost.  As they read the scriptures I wrote the role labels they called out in two bubbles on the chalkboard, one for the Holy Ghost and one for us. 

Scripture Study

What is the Holy Ghost’s role in helping us learn the gospel?

·         2 Nephi 32:5

·         Alma 5:45–46

·         Moroni 10:3-5

·         D&C 11:12–14

·         D&C 39:5–6

·         John 14:26

·         John 16:13

·         1 Corinthians 2:9–14

After we had populated the bubbles, I then had them stand up and turn around so their backs were to the chalkboard, and I erased a couple of things from each bubble.  I would have them turn back around and try to figure out what I erased.  We did that until time for class ran out.  Everyone participated really well throughout class (even some of the kids that hadn't during previous lessons), and I closed by bearing testimony, followed by a class member saying the closing prayer.

If I were to play this game again in the future, I would write down what I erased.  After I would erase it, the kids would call out so many different things I sometimes forgot exactly what I had erased! They were forgiving, but in the future, writing it down would be a great solution.

Deviled Eggs

I was looking for a recipe for deviled eggs that combined all of our tastes that we like in a deviled egg without relish.  I came up empty handed (if it's already out there I didn't find it).  So I came up with this:

6 hard boiled eggs, shells removed, eggs halved
3 Tablespoons mayonnaise (homemade)
1 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
4 dashes Frank's Red Hot sauce
1/8 teaspoon salt
dash ground black pepper
pinch paprika
1/2 teaspoon dill
pinch garlic powder
1/4 t. onion powder
sprinkle celery seed

optional garnishments: sliced green onions or chives, dusting of paprika, sprinkling of dill

For the filling, remove the yolks from your hard-boiled, halved eggs.  Place yolks and remaining ingredients in a bowl and mix well.  If it seems too dry, add a teaspoon of additional mayo at a time until desired cinsistancy is reached.  Place egg filling in a ziploc bag and squeeze to the corner.  twist the bag above the filling and cut the corner off the bag.  Pipe into hardboiled egg halves.  Garnish as desired.

Sunday School Lesson December 2014 'How can I become a better leader?'

How can I become a better leader? 

Assignments for the kids that were given last week for this week's lesson, to be discussed in the order listed below:

1. Prepare to share an experience of Christ-like leadership, how it affected you or others OR an experience of UN-Christ-like leadership and how it affected you or others. 
2. Think of someone you know who is a Christ-like leader.  Prepare to share with the class some of the attributes you've noticed they posess that help them in their leadership role. 
3. Please read Exodus 18: 13-26.  Prepare to share a summary with the class of what you read and at least one idea of how you can apply it to your own life. (Leaders train others, delegate responsibility putting some responsibility on others).  
4. Read Matthew 20:20-28, Matthew 23:11, D&C 50:26 and tell us what these scriptures are telling us a leader should do. (Great leaders serve those we lead).   
5. Read John 13:4-15, 3 Nephi 18:16, 3 Nephi 27:21, 27 and tell us what Jesus Christ is saying in these scriptures. (He is our perfect example).  
6. Read D&C 121:34-46 and make a list to share with the class of some of the principles of righteous leadership as outlined in these scriptures. (virtuous, chaste, confident, depends on God, sincere, faithful, dependable, charitable, unselfish, honorable, righteous, honors the priesthood, humble, honest, loving, patient, meek, kind, knowledgeable, understanding.) 

Game: HOTSEAT Divide kids into two teams.  A member from each team sits (in the hotseat) in front of the chalkboard with their back to the chalkboard.  Teacher writes an attribute or principle of a righteous leader on the board.  The team members try to get their representative to guess the word without using the word.  If a team member says the word before the teammate in the hotseat guesses the word, a point goes to the opposing team.  The first team member in the hotseat to guess the word gets the point and a new team member rotates into each hotseat.

Challenge: to focus on an attribute they could develop to become a better leader. 

Handout:

I AM A LEADER!

Being a leader is HARD WORK.

I CAN DO HARD THINGS.

I follow the example of Jesus Christ.

I SERVE, TEACH, DELEGATE, 
DEPEND ON GOD, and HONOR THE PRIESTHOOD.

I am…

an example

virtuous

chaste

confident

sincere

faithful

dependable

charitable

unselfish

honorable

righteous

humble

honest

loving

patient

meek

kind

knowledgeable

understanding

D&C 121:34-46, Exodus 18:13-26,

Matt. 23:11