What is "Family Home Evening" (FHE)
What is "Family Home Evening (FHE), otherwise known as "Family Night"?
There has been interest among some friends from my youth, who are now parents, to explain what exactly we do on Monday nights with our families. What is FHE? What is that thing we do with our families where we set our phones aside and hang out with our siblings and parents?
First, every family is different. I'm just going to tell you how our family does it. We do what works for us. Which means, sometimes we do it on Sunday evening because that's when everyone is home. This week we did it on Wednesday evening because it worked for our schedules. It is best to nail down one day of the week that the family can sit down together and catch up, or at least spend a little time together.
We give assignments out so things are somewhat orderly. We start with a song. Usually a primary song from church. Wheels on the Bus may be a song your children know. One of the children will be assigned to lead the music, someone else will try to play the piano.
Next we have an opening prayer.
After prayer we do Family Business. This is where I ask, "Is there any family business for this coming week?" Everyone's hands shoot up because they all want to say something. I'll call on Selah and she'll tell us that we are going to Utah at Christmas. Okay, this time is to share anything going on THIS COMING WEEK. We talk about birthday's coming up, sporting events, something cool that happened at school, or anything out of the ordinary that is happening in the near future.
After family business is when we get into the "lesson"of FHE. We usually have a topic we want to discuss, and we like to assign at least one of the children to take a few minutes to plan something to share. This week Selah helped out. We talked about having a healthy body and a healthy spirit. She had just had a lesson on those things in her Activity Day Program at church, so I asked her to give a little presentation with the poster she made of good and bad things for our bodies.
The lesson was short and sweet. Selah got to stand up and speak, while the rest of us listened and contributed when needed.
Ira has requested that the next lesson be a singing/karaoke night. We have done this once before, this past summer, and had a blast! They can pair up or sing a solo, and then preform in front of everyone. Even Matt and I have to do a song. Usually they are funny and entertaining. The children are always shocked when I get up and let go. They love it!
We have done lessons where everyone draws a name out of a hat of someone in the room and writes 10 positive things about that person. Then they stand up and read them out loud. This lesson usually goes along with being kind to everyone, especially those people who might need it most.
We have had lessons on pornography and the dangers of getting into that. Also ways to avoid it, and ways to react when situations out of our control arise and we need to make a choice on the spot.
For Matt and I, the most important reason for being diligent in holding a weekly FHE is to take time out and regroup as a family. Schedules are crazy and it's easy to miss each other in the shuffle. Family Night is for instilling character building attributes in each other. There are many teaching moments that come when we allow ourselves a few minutes to focus on something important to us, and let one or two of the children help with the lesson. There are wonderful memories created.
Not every lesson needs to be super serious. We want the children to look forward to FHE.
Honestly, we TRY to do every week, but sometimes the days just fly by too fast. Sometimes an abbreviated version is all that we can muster.
For all of my friends who have been curious about what FHE is, this is how we do it. Every family is different and does what fits for them. My family held FHE every week while growing up. We didn't answer the phone during that time, and we always had a treat at the end. It's really always been a part of my life and family culture. I have kept up the tradition because I see the good it can do for families, and I have good memories of those times.
We end with a prayer and sometimes a treat.
Our family can seem like a mess, but we love each other. One thing that we have tried to teach them is that they should be best friends. They will always have each other. When school is behind them and life starts to happen, people move on. Your family will always be there to stand up for you, protect you, and help you. Their eyes have been opened to that truth now. They are starting to understand and grasp that reality. They are becoming best friends and it makes us so happy!
If you have any questions, let me know and I'll do my best to answer them! Also, if you have ideas or additions to what I have posted, I'd love to hear them!
There has been interest among some friends from my youth, who are now parents, to explain what exactly we do on Monday nights with our families. What is FHE? What is that thing we do with our families where we set our phones aside and hang out with our siblings and parents?
First, every family is different. I'm just going to tell you how our family does it. We do what works for us. Which means, sometimes we do it on Sunday evening because that's when everyone is home. This week we did it on Wednesday evening because it worked for our schedules. It is best to nail down one day of the week that the family can sit down together and catch up, or at least spend a little time together.
We give assignments out so things are somewhat orderly. We start with a song. Usually a primary song from church. Wheels on the Bus may be a song your children know. One of the children will be assigned to lead the music, someone else will try to play the piano.
Next we have an opening prayer.
After prayer we do Family Business. This is where I ask, "Is there any family business for this coming week?" Everyone's hands shoot up because they all want to say something. I'll call on Selah and she'll tell us that we are going to Utah at Christmas. Okay, this time is to share anything going on THIS COMING WEEK. We talk about birthday's coming up, sporting events, something cool that happened at school, or anything out of the ordinary that is happening in the near future.
After family business is when we get into the "lesson"of FHE. We usually have a topic we want to discuss, and we like to assign at least one of the children to take a few minutes to plan something to share. This week Selah helped out. We talked about having a healthy body and a healthy spirit. She had just had a lesson on those things in her Activity Day Program at church, so I asked her to give a little presentation with the poster she made of good and bad things for our bodies.
The lesson was short and sweet. Selah got to stand up and speak, while the rest of us listened and contributed when needed.
Ira has requested that the next lesson be a singing/karaoke night. We have done this once before, this past summer, and had a blast! They can pair up or sing a solo, and then preform in front of everyone. Even Matt and I have to do a song. Usually they are funny and entertaining. The children are always shocked when I get up and let go. They love it!
We have done lessons where everyone draws a name out of a hat of someone in the room and writes 10 positive things about that person. Then they stand up and read them out loud. This lesson usually goes along with being kind to everyone, especially those people who might need it most.
We have had lessons on pornography and the dangers of getting into that. Also ways to avoid it, and ways to react when situations out of our control arise and we need to make a choice on the spot.
For Matt and I, the most important reason for being diligent in holding a weekly FHE is to take time out and regroup as a family. Schedules are crazy and it's easy to miss each other in the shuffle. Family Night is for instilling character building attributes in each other. There are many teaching moments that come when we allow ourselves a few minutes to focus on something important to us, and let one or two of the children help with the lesson. There are wonderful memories created.
Not every lesson needs to be super serious. We want the children to look forward to FHE.
Honestly, we TRY to do every week, but sometimes the days just fly by too fast. Sometimes an abbreviated version is all that we can muster.
For all of my friends who have been curious about what FHE is, this is how we do it. Every family is different and does what fits for them. My family held FHE every week while growing up. We didn't answer the phone during that time, and we always had a treat at the end. It's really always been a part of my life and family culture. I have kept up the tradition because I see the good it can do for families, and I have good memories of those times.
We end with a prayer and sometimes a treat.
Our family can seem like a mess, but we love each other. One thing that we have tried to teach them is that they should be best friends. They will always have each other. When school is behind them and life starts to happen, people move on. Your family will always be there to stand up for you, protect you, and help you. Their eyes have been opened to that truth now. They are starting to understand and grasp that reality. They are becoming best friends and it makes us so happy!
If you have any questions, let me know and I'll do my best to answer them! Also, if you have ideas or additions to what I have posted, I'd love to hear them!
Comments
I forgot to mention that when Matt is home, he leads Family Night.