Sundays can be hard for my children, and consequently, a bit tiring for myself. After 3 hours of having to sit still, listen and behave, my children come home from church hungry and restless. I have been found to spend a great deal of energy and voice encouraging them from one Sabbath appropriate activity to the next. I don't want it to be a day of don'ts and can'ts. If it is, then I am not doing my part to teach them the blessing of being able to worship, remember the Savior, and make it a special day.
This last Sunday they caught the creativity bug and it was great! In the morning before church, the kids hoarded all the blankets and pillows in the house and covered every square inch of Cade's bedroom floor with them. They called it, "Blanket Land." So adorable. When asked what you do in blanket land, Cade responded matter-of-factly: "You go there to get warm." Of course.
This last Sunday they caught the creativity bug and it was great! In the morning before church, the kids hoarded all the blankets and pillows in the house and covered every square inch of Cade's bedroom floor with them. They called it, "Blanket Land." So adorable. When asked what you do in blanket land, Cade responded matter-of-factly: "You go there to get warm." Of course.
After church Cade had a hay day with the sidewalk chalk. He created "Yoshi World."
Savannah woke up from her nap and took her daily visit to the neighbor for her all-day sucker. Her mission proved successful!
Then she decided to see what Cade was up to...
And rode around Yoshi World for a bit...
Until it started raining.
Cade had a good idea though....
BALLOONS!
Savannah wanted two balloons, too. We were out, darnit. The world to Savannah was over as we knew it.
But then Daddy called!
And that always makes everything better.
What do your children like to do on Sunday to keep it Holy?
What are the don'ts and can'ts of your Sabbath?
How do you make it special without your children feeling deprived of things that bring them joy?
Where do you draw the line of Sabbath appropriate and not?
6 comments:
We used to only let them play inside on Sunday (because that's how I grew up) but they get so restless..and I can't blame them. So just about anything goes as long as we're all doing it together as a family. For me, it's more important to experience that joy that we should have on the Sabbath than to be nagging them about the don'ts. There are still limitations like, they can watch a show but it has to be Animated Scripture Stories, or they can play on the computer but it has to be the Friend magazine online activities. And no Sabbath is complete without baking something together. I don't know why but a chocolate cake always brings the family together! I don't know if they just like licking the beaters or if they find great pleasure in creating something. Maybe both. Anyway, I know this comment is way too long. I guess now that I think about it, we're probably a little lax on our Sunday activities, but the kids are happy with it so for me, mission accomplished.
For media, we only allow "Sunday movies" (we have a pretty large collection of Liken's and some church-produced movies), BYUTV, or "Sunday games" {scripture story computer games or the Friend website}. They can pretty much play with any of their toys inside. {If we had more of a grassy yard, we might let them play outside?} I've been trying to encourage Hannah to work on her 'Faith in God' on Sundays, but it hasn't really worked yet. =) We've been trying to do our FHE lessons on Sunday because otherwise we run out of time for an activity & lesson on Mondays.
Just out of curiosity, what do Latter Day Saints view as guidelines for what you should or should not do on the Sabbath? I grew up Baptist, and Sundays consisted of breakfast, Sunday School, Big Church (haha), and then lunch. The afternoons were pretty much like Saturdays.
Shelley, that is a really good question. If posing that question to a panel of LDS people, you'd probably get a wide array of answers because many interpret "keeping the sabbath day holy" differently.
I think we'd all agree as a whole on:
We avoid shopping, participating or spectating in athletic events and hobbies, eating out at restuarants, or being patrons at stores
We avoid working on the Sabbath when possible (this applies differently of course to doctors, nurses, etc. whose work is essential every day of the week)
This link explains it well:
http://mormon.org/mormonorg/eng/basic-beliefs/the-commandments/keep-the-sabbath-day-holy
Also, this is an excerpt from a talk given by the late James E. Faust, a counselor to our passed prophet, Gordon B. Hinkley:
"Keeping the Sabbath day holy is much more than just physical rest. It involves spiritual renewal and worship. President Spencer W. Kimball gave excellent counsel on Sabbath day observance. He said:
“The Sabbath is a holy day in which to do worthy and holy things. Abstinence from work and recreation is important but insufficient. The Sabbath calls for constructive thoughts and acts, and if one merely lounges about doing nothing on the Sabbath, he is breaking it. To observe it, one will be on his knees in prayer, preparing lessons, studying the gospel, meditating, visiting the ill and distressed, sleeping, reading wholesome material, and attending all the meetings of that day to which he is expected. To fail to do these proper things is a transgression on the omission side.” (The Miracle of Forgiveness, Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1969, pp. 96–97.)
Over a lifetime of observation, it is clear to me that the farmer who observes the Sabbath day seems to get more done on his farm than he would if he worked seven days. The mechanic will be able to turn out more and better products in six days than in seven. The doctor, the lawyer, the dentist, the scientist will accomplish more by trying to rest on the Sabbath than if he tries to utilize every day of the week for his professional work. I would counsel all students, if they can, to arrange their schedules so that they do not study on the Sabbath. If students and other seekers after truth will do this, their minds will be quickened and the infinite Spirit will lead them to the verities they wish to learn. This is because God has hallowed his day and blessed it as a perpetual covenant of faithfulness. (See Ex. 31:16.)
On February 1, 1980, when the First Presidency announced the consolidated Sunday meeting schedule, the following counsel was given: “A greater responsibility will be placed upon the individual members and families for properly observing the Sabbath day. More time will be available for personal study of the scriptures and family-centered gospel study.
cont'd:
“Other appropriate Sabbath activities, such as strengthening family ties, visiting the sick and the homebound, giving service to others, writing personal and family histories, genealogical work, and missionary work, should be carefully planned and carried out."
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So Shelley, in a nutshell, the counsel we have received as Latter-day Saints is that keeping the sabbath day holy is more than what you avoid and don't do, it is also what you fill your day with, beyond attending church.
In our little family, we've elected avoiding television, video games, listening to the radio and having play dates. We have some narrated scripture stories on DVD as well as a couple animated ones my children watch if they'd like. We listen to primary music (songs that preschool and elementary-aged students are taught that focus on the Savior, his creations, etc.), hymns,classical music--- the type of music that helps the overall mood and atmosphere in the home support the idea that we are trying to make it a day different from the others.
We do crafts, write in our journals, make treats and deliver them to neighbors....
It's hard as a parent because I don't want my children to feel like it's a day of "cant's" -- I want them to enjoy the day and appreciate it as one we spend together as a family. It's also important to me that I am living the "Spirit of the Law," not just the "letter of the Law" and realize kids are kids and they aren't going to sit in a chair and listen to me read them the bible all day long and there are other productive enjoyable activities for them to do that is Sabbath appropriate. :)
Wow, your answer pretty much did the trick! Right now we have 1:00 church, so it's all about preparing for church and dinner . . . they can only watch church shows and we like to go on walks. And eat a lot. Is that righteous?
You've been in blog mode ever since I left on my vacation, so I just caught up. I love the Sunday pictures, and also the end of Cade's school. At Edgemont there were always twice as many cameras and camcorders going as kids, it seemed, so you wouldn't have been the only one.
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