FHE – Family Unity
submitted by Natasha Zandbergen

Purpose: Help family members create a greater sense of unity and belonging.

Song: “We are a Happy Family”-children’s songbook

Scripture: Mosiah 4:15

PREPARATION

1. Draw five blank lines on a piece of paper on which to spell the word unity.

2. Prepare and place the ingredients for a simple cake, cookies or other dessert in
separate containers. Preheat the oven, and prepare the pans for cooking the dessert.

3. Cut out paper links for a chain, as many links as there are members in your family.
Write the name of a different member of the family on each link. Bring staples or tape to finish the chain.

4. Bring pencil and paper for each family member.

TREAT IDEA

Take your family into the kitchen. Show them each of the ingredients for the cake.
Point out that these ingredients are useful all by themselves, but not necessarily
tasty. Unless they are mixed together they couldn't be called a delicious dessert. Mix the cake, and pour it into pans. Let each person help prepare it. Bake it while you finish the lesson. Explain that each family member has his own strengths, talents, and interests. By himself each person could accomplish many things. But without a feeling of unity, a desire to work together and support each other, all of the separate people who live in your house couldn't be called a real family.

ACTIVITY IDEA

Make the paper chain. On each chain write one way we can be a happier family. Each chain will represent one person in the family. Each child can make his own family chain if desired.

Explain that Heavenly Father planned for us to live together as a family. Each one of us is important to our family. We love each other and should try to help each other.

Tell about a time you did something as a family. Stress that having each member of
the family there made it more fun.

STORY

Tell the following story: “A Day at the Park”

The Whites had been planning their Saturday trip to the park all week long. But when Saturday morning finally came, four-year-old Lisa was sick. Jimmy and Brian said they still wanted to go to the park. Mother said she would stay home with Lisa, so father, Jimmy, and Brian packed their lunches and left for the park. Jimmy and Brian jumped out of the car as soon as they stopped and ran to the swings. They rolled in the grass and played on the climbing bars and slide all morning. But when they sat down on the grass to eat lunch, Jimmy said, "I wish Lisa and mommy were here. It's not as much fun without everybody." Brian said, "I miss them, too. And I know how much Lisa likes to play at the park." Father suggested they go home and eat their lunch. When they got home, Lisa was excited to see them. She was feeling better, so they all ate lunch together in the backyard. Brian said, "Next time we go to the park, we can all go together." "And it will be a lot more fun," added Jimmy.

Additional Activity Ideas
1) Have family members take turns sitting in a chair in the middle of the room. Have
the family think about two or three things they could do to support that person. You
may need to give an idea or two to get them started. For example, if one member of
the family is involved in a school activity, you might suggest that the family could be
sure to attend the event together. After each person has had a turn, challenge
everyone to do one small thing every day that will make the family more unified. Have everyone write down one specific thing he will do each day.

2) Use the following activities to help family members to get to know each other
better:

1. Ask each person to think of a favorite family experience—humorous or serious.
Have him tell it to the others.

2. Tell a fact about a family member that the rest of the family may not know. Have
other family members try to match the fact with the person.

3. Ask each family member to tell what he would like the family to do to help make
family life happier. There must be no criticizing or defensive replies. Let the family
continue until everyone has made as many statements as he wants.

Plan ways to put some of these suggestions into practice.

Closing Song: Families Can be Together Forever”-hymnbook or children’s songbook

Closing Prayer: