Responsibility: Teaching Our Children The Value of Work

FHE Lesson Exchange, author unknown

Objective:
To teach our children the value of work and the important role they play in creating a happy and peaceful atmosphere in the home.

Preparation:
1. Before FHE, create a “mess” in the room where you will be holding FHE (i.e. laundry basket with clothes to be folded sitting in middle of the room, random toys on the floor, books/magazines out of place, jackets and shoes piled on the floor.) The idea is that you want it to look like an obvious mess, but be something the family can work together to quickly clean up.
2. Copy/Print clip art for the story.

Scripture:
D&C 88:119

Song:
When We’re Helping - CS 196

Lesson/Discussion:
After singing the opening song and having a prayer, ask the family if they notice anything wrong in the room. Ask a series of questions such as:

Why is the room a mess?
Whose job is it to clean up the mess?

Explain the roles of each person in the family such as Dad works to earn money for our families needs, Mom cares for our home and the kids, children go to school to learn, etc. (Come up with roles that are appropriate for your family situation and the ages of your children.) Explain that each member of the family has responsibilities that help the home and family run smoothly. When someone does not fulfill their responsibilities, it leaves more work for other members of the family and can affect the feeling of love and peace in the home.

Work together to quickly clean up the room and put all items away in their appropriate places before continuing on with the lesson.

Story:
Changing Chores, Friend, May 2005

Activity:
Use the attached recipe or one of your own (preferably one that is simple to prepare.) Put each person in charge of one ingredient and/or one specific job (i.e. stirring, popping corn, turning on the oven for a recipe that requires cooking.) Work together to follow the recipe until it is completed (or until it goes into the oven to cook.) Discuss again the importance of each person doing their part in order for the recipe to turn out right. If even one person does not do their part (perhaps if an ingredient is left out) then the recipe will not turn out correctly. Tie this in to the earlier discussion about doing our part and carrying out our responsibilities.

Refreshment:
Easy Carmel Corn