The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints View of Family

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has its own view of what a family is. This is described in a proclamation to the world that was issued by the First Presidency and the Council of the Twelve Apostles in 1995. Here is what it said: We, THE FIRST PRESIDENCY of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, solemnly proclaim that marriage between a man and a woman is ordained of God and that the family is central to the Creator’s plan for the eternal destiny of His children. IN THE PREMORTAL REALM, spirit … Continue reading

A Primary Basic: You Are Special

The primary lesson that is coming up for week 4 seemed a little lackluster to me. It is about respect others, which boils down to one of the ten commandments, “Love thy Neighbor”. I wasn’t a big fan of what the outline suggested, but it did trigger in my mind a way that I could present the simple lesson to the children that everyone is a child of God. I chose the book, You Are Special by Max Lucado. He is not an LDS writer of children’s books, but a great one with inspiring lessons. I love this book because … Continue reading

Be Proud Of Your Accomplishments

I’m on kind of a rant tonight, I heard something that has just made me see red. I live in Utah, which is a wonderful place, I love it here, but what I heard today has made me mad. It seems that the schools don’t want the graduating seniors to talk about what colleges they got accepted to or what scholarships they received. Why, you ask? Because it may make the other students feel bad. Are you kidding me? I’m typing this and I’m stunned. I am all for protecting our children from what we can protect them from and … Continue reading

Tea Parties to Reinforce Etiquette: Part 2/The Homeschool Tea

Let’s discuss tea etiquette. In order for you to plan a tea for the purpose of teaching proper behavior you must be aware of the basic manners for hosting a tea. Once you know the proper etiquette and have the right supplies you will be ready to plan a tea for your homeschool co-op event. Homeschool co-op teas are quite successful if the hostess is in the know with regards to how to plan a tea. I highly suggest planning a homeschool tea as a method to introduce manners in a group setting. This will reinforce the importance of personal … Continue reading

The Importance of Parents

I was touched today as I listened to the afternoon session of General Conference as Elder L. Tom Perry talked about the importance of parents in teaching children the valuable lessons in life. I loved how he gave examples of his own mother and the wonderful things she did to enrich her family members and teach them both temporal and spiritual lessons. Her “overpreparation” never went to waste, as she dedicated her time to teaching her children as well as her Relief Society sisters. I also have a mother, who has gone above and beyond in all her church callings, … Continue reading

Why Toddlers Love SpongeBob Squarepants

Many toddlers, including my son, love the cartoon, “SpongeBob Squarepants.” SpongeBob offers a lot of entertainment for toddlers, who otherwise have a short attention span. Although many parents don’t care for this cartoon, it can actually be good for children. SpongeBob offers a lot of music and most all toddlers love music. They can sing along to the songs in the cartoon and practice their unique dance skills. My son is adorable when he tries to copy the dances in the “SpongeBob Squarepants” episode featuring, “Band Geeks.” This is one of our favorite episodes. I don’t think I have ever … Continue reading

Choosing a Preschool

I’m in recovery from our preschool meeting this morning. I’m the president of our local cooperative preschool. We love our school. As I look around at options for public schooling next year, I realize that while there are a lot of possibilities, there are so many more in the preschool realm. What preschool should your child attend? Well, that depends in part what you’re looking for out of preschool. Are you looking for academics, languages, music and instruction in pre-reading and math skills? There are many academic preschools out there, some better than others. Observe a class and watch how … Continue reading

Frugal Guide to Helping Others in Need

Helping others in need is a difficult concept when you you count your pennies yourself. It is especially difficult when you know that the person in need of help is quite wasteful with money normally. You will feel it is their fault for ending up in dire straits and not want to help at all. Still, if they have children, or medical issues, your heart-strings will beg you to help. Here are some things you can do to help without compromising your ideals, or harming your own budget. 1. Cut coupons and get free coupons online: A person who is … Continue reading

Reach Out to Help Others

Recently I had a conversation with one of my friends about the importance of giving back. It started as a discussion on the economy, and the dismal way it seemed to be going, and then it turned to the extravagant lifestyles that so many people seem to be embracing. We then talked about how we could help those around us. She mentioned a project she had completed in another town where she cut hair for the poor children whose parents couldn’t afford to get them a new outfit and school supplies for school. This is a great way to reach … Continue reading

General Conference: “Daughters of God”

In his talk “Daughters of God” Elder M Russell Ballard speaks about the role and importance of women. He opens his talk by sharing his appreciation for all that his wife does. He had the opportunity to realize it as he took over some duties when his wife had back surgery. He also shares an experience when he sat along with his small children in church one Sunday many years ago. Elder Ballard says that he is impressed by the many mothers that he sees. He points out that there is not just one way to be a good mother. … Continue reading