FHE Lesson {Kindness}

Over at the FHE SPOT where I used to post lessons I found that our most viewed lessons were about kindness. Not by a little, literally by thousands of hits. It seems teaching children kindness {or sibling cohesion??} is a popular little topic.


Opening Song: Kindness begins with Me #145

Opening Prayer:

Scripture : Ephesians 4:32 
And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another,
even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.

Lesson:


Let's practice speaking in different ways.
First say "No Thankyou" but in an angry voice. Now say "No Thankyou" in a happy voice.
Which was a kinder tone?
Now try shouting "Go get the book!" Now whisper it. Which was better?
Now say "I love you" with a frown and a pouty voice, then with a smile and a sweet voice.

Point out that it is much kinder to smile while saying nice things. Emphasize that to speak kindly it's not just the words that matter, but it's the way we speak- our tone, volume, expression/body language.

Have fun practicing lots of different phrases!!

State that in our family we want to use nice, kind, happy voices when speaking to eachother.


Ask do we sometimes need to change the way we speak?
{be open to the fact the kids may mention they want the parents to speak kinder}

How can we do this? {Make a plan on WHAT you will do to be better}

How do we feel when someone is mean to us or yells at us?
{Remind them then as they know how it feels that should not like to do it to others}

This week we will say Kind things to eachother everyday.
{give a list eg say I love you everyday, say thankyou more often, you shared well, kids can say kind things to mummy when she cooks dinner, puts you to bed with a story}



Activities:

Spin the bottle - when it lands on a person everyone has to say something nice about them

Have a prewritten card organized where you write your favourite things about each family member

Get children to help each other do a task. {eg folding a big blanket can be easier with two}

Give them a secret buddy to do kind things for. Alternatively let everyone know who has what name so they can do a kind deed for each other during the week.



Lessons for younger Children:

Show a picture of your wedding:  Say mummy and daddy love eachother very much and wanted to be a family. Show a picture of them or a family photo. Say we were so excited when each of you were born and joined our family. We loved you so much. In our family we are so happy to be together that we always want to speak kindly, share our things and love and hug eachother. Everyone in our family is special and we must treat them that way.

Practice sharing a toy and taking turns and speaking kindly - "Your turn, thank you, Please may I..."


Closing Song: I'm trying to be like Jesus #78

Closing Prayer:

Treat: Have children make/serve up dessert to eachother / parents