Recently I received the current issue of BYU Magazine. In it there is a great article by Sarah Ingram Westerberg entitled Drawing Lines of Commitment. I really enjoyed reading her thoughts and found this one could be applied as a scripture tip:
"We must decide now to keep our commitments. Then, when faced with a temptation or an opportunity to compromise, we will not waver, because the decision was already made.
"Great strength comes from commitments that are made well in advance... My husband and I are committed to rearing our children in the gospel, and part of that commitment involves holding family home evening. We have already decided that we will have family home evening every Monday night, and so when our 4-year-old, William, inevitably answers the call to come to family home evening with the suggestion, "Let's play lightsabers instead," we are not swayed or moved because we already decided to have family home evening."
Westerberg's commitment to holding FHE is much like making the commitment to have family scripture study. If we make the commitment ahead of time, prepare to be able to fulfill the commitment, and pray for help, then our ability to follow the commandment to hold family scripture study will increase.
To help get children to buy into the need to hold scripture study, instead of wanting to play lightsabers, try working together to reach a reward. For example, for each time the family completes scripture study place a sticker on a chart, or a marble in a jar. When the chart or jar are filled, go out for ice cream or go on a family picnic. This strategy really works!
Scripture of the Day: Alma 12:25
Good tip! And I am happy to say that eventually--after like 15-20 years, the kids are in a habit of scripture reading so they just expect it every night and you don't have to reward them anymore! :-)
ReplyDeleteYou know, a sticker chart works for us with no reward attached. My kids just love putting on the stickers. (Even the teeny-boppers!)
ReplyDeleteSame goes for drawing a line in the sand when it comes to dating, etc.
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by!
ReplyDeleteI love these thoughts. They fit with many of the current thoughts I have been having about wanting to return to full activity to church. The commitment to decide has not been made. Then actually sticking with it. I have made attempts to go, but find my self not actually decided.
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