Back to School Traditions

I love to create traditions that will lead to good memories for my children. This year we decided to have some "Back to School" traditions. We started on Monday night with a special Family Home Evening. This is an outline of what we did:

Attention Activity: Work together to stock a portable caddy with supplies and find a special place to keep it. I told the kids that the caddy was their "homework caddy", full of everything that they would need to complete homework assignments. I also put a clipboard in each of their caddys.

Limit this activity to fifteen minutes or less.

Lesson:
Discuss how many days are left until school. Let the children share things they need to do to get ready.

o Why do we go to school when we are young? (Expect some humorous answers but also tell them that we learn things and establish learning patterns that help us throughout our lives.)

Have family members read the following:
--Alma 37:35. (‘learn wisdom in thy youth.’ Some parents may also wish to include all or parts of verses 36 and 37.)
-- Quote from President Gordon B. Hinckley: “It is so important that you young men and you young women get all of the education that you can. The Lord has said very plainly that His people are to gain knowledge of countries and kingdoms and of things of the world through the process of education, even by study and by faith. Education is the key which will unlock the door of opportunity for you. It is worth sacrificing for. It is worth working at, and if you educate your mind and your hands, you will be able to make a great contribution to the society of which you are a part, and you will be able to reflect honorably on the Church of which you are a member. My dear young brothers and sisters, take advantage of every educational opportunity that you can possibly afford, and you fathers and mothers, encourage your sons and daughters to gain an education which will bless their lives” (“Inspirational Thoughts,” Ensign, June 1999).

Heavenly Father has told us:
--to learn about all things ‘both in heaven and in the earth,” (D&C 88:78-79);
-- the intelligence we gain in this life ‘will rise with us in the resurrection,’ (D&C 130:18-19);
--we are to learn from the ‘best books’ (D&C 88:118);
--be acquainted with “languages, tongues, and people” (D&C 90:15);
--and to ‘seek learning, even by study and also by faith’ (D&C 88:118)

o Why are these things important to the Lord? To us?

o What does it mean to seek learning by faith?

o Does faith work at school? Why or why not? (Lovingly listen to your children’s responses. Open a family discussion that will help them learn how they can use faith throughout their school day. Can they pray for His help during a test or thank Him for a blessing during the day? Can they listen to the whisperings of the Spirit as they face peers whose standards may offend the Lord? Discuss ways they can bring their personal faith to school and thank Him throughout the school day.)

President Marion G. Romney of the First Presidency said: “I believe in study. I believe that men learn much through study. … I also believe, however, and know, that learning by study is greatly accelerated by faith” (Learning for the Eternities, comp. George J. Romney [1977], 72).

Discuss how learning by faith brings blessings. (You may wish to read the experience of Elder Russell M. Nelson. A noted heart surgeon, he had done all he could to prepare his mind to ‘know’ medicine and his spirit to ‘feel‘ the Lord. At one point, a faithful stake patriarch came to him in need of surgery. Tests showed that surgery would not work for one valve. With faith, the patriarch told Elder Nelson the answer to fix that valve would come to him. Elder Nelson agreed to try. He continued to seek for an answer through research, fasting and prayer. One did not come. Then, during surgery he had the impression come so clearly to his mind that he actually saw dotted lines on the heart showing him where and how to repair and stitch the heart. It worked.)

Tell your children that when we have done all we can do through study and prayer, the Lord can grant us answers we never knew before--just like He did for Elder Nelson. He can also call to our memories things we had forgotten and, in other ways, help us do better than we could on our own.

Challenge your children to keep the Lord close this year, to gain learning by study and by faith.


Treat Idea:
One apple per person, cut into wedges or pieces.
14 oz. pkg. of caramels, unwrapped
½ c. milk
Forks for each person.

Place caramels and milk in a microwavable glass bowl. Heat one to two minutes, then stir. Repeat the heating and stirring cycle until the caramels are melted and smooth. Using forks, dip apple pieces into hot caramel sauce.

We had a great time during this family home evening and it gave the kids an opportunity to express any concerns that they might have.

Then the next day I took all 3 boys to get some new clothes, turns out they only wanted t-shirts and shorts, and haircuts (I did bribe them to get their hair cut).

On Wednesday I took Alyssa shopping, I must say that it was much more fun than the outing with the boys. We also got pedicures and manicures, well actually she is the only one that got a pedicure due to the fact that I have a "black" foot (that's another story). Then that night Paul gave each of the kids a Father's blessing. It was a special night and the calm, peaceful feeling in our home was wonderful. They each had a great first day of school and I know we will have a wonderful year! This weekend I told them that we could make s'mores as a special "Back to School" treat. We have a fire pit in the back yard, but because of all the rain I think we will make them inside with the fireplace.

"Black Foot Story"
I have the cutest pair of sandals that I absolutely love. They remind me of a pair of sandals that I bought in Spain. I was going to wear my cute sandals to church on Sunday when I noticed that one of the straps was coming off. I decided to use some gorilla glue and glue it down (only ten minutes before we needed to leave). By the time I got to church, wearing my cute sandals, the bottom of my heel was glued to my sandal. I spent a good 20 minutes during church trying to pull my foot off of my shoe. I finally succeeded, but not without some battle wounds. My heel was black, apparently some of the sandal came off. It is getting better each day, but a little too embarrassing for a pedicure.