Good Mawitan

This is what awaited me as I came back from dropping Addison off at preschool and after surviving a rather long and crazy morning (see previous post).  It made me smile.  Let me explain why...

I taught FHE this week on being a "Good Samaritan".  It was a short and sweet and hurried lesson since we were nearing bedtime but it sank in just as much as I'd hoped.  The reason for my topic was to help us learn to treat others with more kindness and respect and love.  It seems to be a struggle for us lately.  

The lesson itself was simple.  We watched a 3 minute video about the Good Samaritan and then did an activity where we would hold a heart up high or hide it based on different scenarios and whether our actions would make Heavenly Father happy or sad.  We also went on an imaginary walk and chose to help and serve our pretend friends that we passed by.  And we ended with as personal challenge to do "Secret Service" for others, which I'll explain later.  It's times like these that I'm grateful for those three long years I served teaching the 3 & 4 year olds in our church.  It taught me a lot about how to teach my own kids at this age.

The best part about FHE are the opportunities it creates afterward to see how much Addison actually understood and implemented.  And she never ceases to amaze me with what she retains.

Just as she was getting ready for bed that same night she told me (while putting on her pajamas) "Mommy, a good mawitan helps someone put on dare jammies."  I immediately took my cue and ran to help her put on her jammies while we both smiled at each other.

Yesterday, she started whining when I asked her to come set the table (her daily contribution).  I stopped and asked her how a good samaritan would act instead.  She shouted "Yes Mommy!" and immediately started setting the table.

In the random times she has tried throwing a fit or made a bad choice since, we've talked about being a good samaritan and she has changed her behavior immediately.  I love it.  She also tells me, after she makes a good choice that she "Hangs her heart up high!" or "Hides her heart!" (actions included) after a bad choice.  How can one child be so cute?  

As I mentioned earlier, at the end of FHE we had a challenge to serve each other throughout the week and keep it a secret.  As part of the secret, we were each given a toy to use as our signature  as a sign that we had been there.  This morning, in the midst of the craziness and my tears, Addison and Daddy (with Daddy's convincing I'm sure) had chosen to empty the dishwasher as their secret service.  Addison had a bit of difficulty keeping it a secret and even told me earlier "Daddy put his car in da laundry....ohhhh its a secret."  Which led me to find the above picture upon my return.  

I'm so grateful for Family Home Evening and the opportunity it creates to invite the Spirit into our home to help us be better and kinder and to learn more about Jesus and being like him.  I'm also grateful for a smart and sweet three year old that retains so much of what we teach in these weekly moments.  That fact, along with many others, gives me the determination to make sure we have it every week.  While they may seem simple and quick and brief, I know these moments are what build into the moments they think of as they grow older and are faced with difficult decisions later in life.  It's an easy sacrifice to make knowing that I'm helping strengthen my child's foundation.

Now, off to find my own secret service and leave my signature behind.  Wish me luck!