Families
Week 99
The importance of family to our community
The complete family unit is found only among human beings. Very few animals have strong parent/child or male/female relationships, but none have the complete family unit for life that man has. Some animals have strong social relationships, mostly based on instincts and hierarchy.
Genesis 1:28 says, “And God blessed them; and God said to them, Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth…” The family unit with father, mother, and children was instituted by God. Since this thought is under severe attack in our society, we felt we must address the truth of families with the youngest among us. This will instill the simple truth into them so that as they grow, they can remain firm in this truth.
Note to the serving ones: While we faithfully present God’s view of a family, we recognize that some of our children’s families may not relate to what is being presented in these topics due to different types of situations. (For example, there may be children whose parents have passed away, children whose parents are not involved in the family/church life, children who are adopted, children who were raised by step-parents/grandparents, etc.) The serving ones need to be careful/sensitive in how they address these matters so that the children don’t come away from the story feeling bad because they may not have a mom and a dad to do the things that we are presenting. We don’t want them to feel like their families aren’t “real” families, but rather, we want to give them an appreciation for the complete family unit from God’s view. In your time with the children, please be sensitive to their personal circumstances. Be careful that no child feels that his or her family is wrong or worse than the others.
Point to emphasize
In our family, we grow up and learn how to be a good brother and sister, how to be a good neighbor and a good friend.
Reference
Train up a child according to the way he should go; Even when he is old, he will not depart from it. (Proverbs 22:6)
Sample content and conversation with children
- Today we are going to talk about what we learn by being in our family. [Show picture#1 or a picture of a school.] What is this? [Let the children answer.] Yes, a school! How many of you want to go to school when you are older? [Have the children raise their hands.] Why do you want to go to school? [Let them answer.] What do you go to school to learn? [Let the children tell you about all the things they will learn at school.] We can learn things like shapes, letters and numbers.
- In our family, we learn the most important things, even more important than learning to read and write. In our family life, we learn to know God. [Show picture #2 of a family where parents are reading the Bible.] What are they doing? [Let the children respond.] Yes, they are reading the Bible. Yes, in our family life is very important that we can read the Bible together. It is great that we learn about God in our families.
- In our family, we also learn to love and care for one another. [Show picture #3 or of a mom and baby in the playpen.] What do you see in this picture? [Let them respond.] Yes, mom is playing with her baby. What is this baby learning? [Let the children answer.] Yes, besides playing, the baby is learning that her family loves her. The baby learns that the family is where she is loved, cared for, and secure. In our family, we learn to love and care for one another.
- What do you do to help your family? [Let the children answer.] Maybe you might help take care of your younger brother/sister. Maybe you might help put away your toys so that the house doesn’t get too messy. Maybe you might help mom or dad with putting your dishes away or throwing away your trash.
- [Show picture #4 or of the children on the swings.] What are the children doing here? [Let the children answer.] They are learning to play together and to share the swing. [Show picture #5 or a picture of the children playing with blocks.] What are the girls doing in this picture? [Let the children answer.] Yes, they are playing together sharing the blocks. What they are learning at home will help them later to learn to play with others when they go to school.
- In our family, we also learn to help others. [Show picture #6 or of children doing a task.] What do we see in this picture? [Let the children answer.] Why is she preparing the food? Maybe she is preparing food for someone who is sick. In our family life it is so good that we can learn how to help others.
- [Show picture #7 of donation box (food items) at the store.] I will show you some pictures. Have you seen any of these in your neighborhood? Do you know what these are? [Let the children answer.] In some places, people and stores accept donations of food, clothing, and furniture to give to others in need. We can donate food or used clothing to others in need. We can do many things for others.
- What are other ways we help our community? [Let the children answer.] Maybe we might donate items to Goodwill? Or collect food for people who may not have as much food?
- What we learn in our family helps us to grow up to be the best people, people who help neighbors and those outside the family.
Suggested song
We are in a house
Suggested activities
- The children can create their families using cardboard tubes, yarn, googly eyes, paint. (Link on how to make them: https://www.fantasticfunandlearning.com/cardboard-tube-family-craft.html). The children can use the cardboard “family members” to role play and come up with ways family can help each other and others outside their family.
- Play game of a “Little Help from your friends”: Give each child a tissue to place on his/her head. Instruct the children to move around while you play a song (a children’s meeting song) while keeping the tissue on their heads. If a tissue falls off, the child will freeze. Another child would then need to help the frozen child by placing the tissue back on the frozen child’s head, allowing the frozen child to rejoin the game.
Pictures
#1: School
#2: Family reading the Bible
#3: Mom and baby in the playpen
#4: Children on the swings
#5: Children playing with blocks
#6: Girl preparing a sandwich
#7: Donation box of food and clothing items
