Remember my kitchen chalkboard from this post? I had always wondered what the frame would look like if it were white instead of gold. I finally decided to make the change, and got up the courage to paint it white.
This picture is a little dark, but I like how it turned out.
We used it for family night on Monday. We had been dealing with a lot of bickering around our house. I couldn't come up with any solutions, but I was bothered by it. Then, miraculously (because I don't usually watch tv...let alone BYU tv) I had turned on BYU tv and a short program came on about how to have better family relationships. They suggested to
1. Spend quality time with each of your children (they can tell if you don't really want to be with them)
2. That a successful family requires consistent and continual effort
3. We should use caring words and actions
The greatest thing was that they compared our relationships to an "emotional bank". When a family member says something unkind about another, it is like they are withdrawing from the other person's emotional bank account. When they say something kind, they are depositing love into their account.
For the lesson, my husband talked to them about how we deposit money into their real bank accounts etc. Then he asked them to draw a big bank on the chalkboard and draw their own individual savings vaults. They had so much fun drawing them. (If you don't have a chalkboard, you can use markers and poster board and "sticky tack it" to the wall) Then we told them how their visuals represent our family's "emotional bank", and how everything we say or do, affects us positively or negatively.
It was a great success, and we have been "depositing" kindness all week long! My husband pulled out his guitar and ended the lesson with a cute little song that his elementary school teacher taught him about giving away love. It's called the Magic Penny! I must say, its a much better song than the one I remember my music teacher teaching me called "coffee"~she had to have been on something! :)
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I love the chalk board frame white, but even more I love the FHE lesson. Thanks
ReplyDeleteRobin, we did special nights for the kids each week and it was a godsend! Look up in the ensign Kristina Fowler and there is an article that explains it. Now our kids are doing special nights.
ReplyDeleteTina
Tina, I loved the article! Thank you, we will do that. Here is the link for everyone else.
ReplyDeletehttp://lds.org/ensign/2000/12/random-sampler/one-on-one-time?lang=eng&query=kristina+fowler
This is a great FHE idea! I would love for you to link up at MoMomma Monday(runs every M-F) http://momommamoney.blogspot.com/2011/09/momomma-monday-link-up-party-4.html
ReplyDeleteSuch a great idea- I love your chalkboard too!! So charming!!
ReplyDeleteLove this idea.We had a similar idea growing up, if you felt you needed to tell another person what was bothering you about them you first had to say two nice things. We had these kids of discussions growing up in FHE that it's now part of my every day thinking. Will have to do a similar thing when my kids are a little older.
ReplyDelete