LDS/Mormon Support Only Thread - Page 3

[Nemmer]

Originally Posted by alisaterry

1. What have been your most succesful family nights with toddlers?

We didn't really start FHE till DS1, now almost 6, was about 3. So I'm not too sure about toddlers, but we've been using lessons out of the primary manuals as a guide. I love the lessons in the Primary 1 (Nursery/Sunbeam) Manual (which you can also get at the Distribution Center really cheap). Some of them are kind of long, but you can easily pick and choose parts. Plus, if your kids are in Nursery, you can follow along with the schedule there, so they are getting repeat lessons -- repetition is great at that age!

These days we use the Friend extensively. DS1 still has a short attention span, so we usually keep them short -- 20 minutes tops. Some of the best ones we've done have been very hands-on. For one of our December lessons, I used his Little People nativity set to "act out" the Christmas story. I have also used some of his small stuffed animals to act out various scripture stories. The Scripture Readers through the Dist. Center are useful, too, to sort of simplify some of the scripture stories for kids. You could look over those and just find a creative way to tell the story. Oh, and like momnloveit mentioned, we're trying to incorporate more music into the lessons, too. We at the very least begin and end with a song and a prayer, so the kids are learning the songs better now. DS1 has always hated singing, so it has been a challenge to get him to participate in Primary singing time! But now I can say there are a few songs he does enjoy and he's learning the joy of music little by little.

Originally Posted by alisaterry

2. What are your favorite books written by Church leaders and LDS authors?

Shannon, I too absolutely LOVE Eve and the Choice Made in Eden. I really think it is my all-time favorite book, and I wish everyone, everywhere would read it and take it to heart. I enjoy some LDS fiction, but really don't read much of it lately. We did enjoy the Work & Glory series, even though at times they were uber-predictable and cheesy. They still felt uplifting. I like Jack Weyland stories, too. I really enjoyed reading the History of Joseph Smith by His Mother a few years ago.

Originally Posted by alisaterry

3. How has the AP and NFL enhanced your spirituality?

I really like what Jenni said here, and totally agree.

Originally Posted by brightonwoman

I think more than anything it's taught me to rely more on the spirit as I make decisions. The more I learn of gentle discipline, for example, the more I realize that some of the things I was raised with (the things that come easily to me) are not Christlike...so I am forced to turn to the Lord for guidance for what I SHOULD do.

Nothing has turned me as much to the guidance of the Spirit as parenting. I once told my MIL, who doesn't seem to understand me at all, that I have never felt so spiritually guided as I have about the rasing of my children. I have felt more direct inspiration and guidance about minute choices in my parenting than I have felt over the course of the entire rest of my life. It has been an amazing experience to know that the Lord cares about the details of my life and will guide me so intimately.

As far as NFL, I'm admittedly not as NFL as a lot of you! But I do feel strongly that the Earth is a gift from God and we have a responsibility to care for it. I love recycling and composting, but definitely do not live in simplicity or avoid plastics. We seem to slowly be moving that direction, but it's a slow process.

[guestmama9911]

Originally Posted by brightonwoman

At what age did/do you start making your kids be reverent for prayers?
Sammy is 13m... when he was tiny of course he was always quiet, but now he always wants to run around, wiggle, talk, etc. At the dinner table he does not want to wait for the food once he's in his chair: so sometimes I leave him down and runnign while we bless the food, and other times I've put him in his chair and try to hold his hands but he reaches for things, 'talks' loudly, wiggles around, etc. Family prayer is a similar deal--do I hold him in my lap against his will, or let him run? I think he should be starting to learn about prayers, but I'm not sure the best way to teach him. I don't want him to develop a negative attitude about it (if I always hold him still), but I don't want him to think that it's ok to just run and yell either...
What have you done? At what ages?!

We just tell Connor we're going to have a prayer, and then go on no matter what he does. Since he sees us pray every day, over time he has started copying us by folding his arms and listening for a few seconds before losing interest. We've found it helps if we keep them short and include his name a lot!!

[sebarnes]

Originally Posted by alisaterry

We just tell Connor we're going to have a prayer, and then go on no matter what he does. Since he sees us pray every day, over time he has started copying us by folding his arms and listening for a few seconds before losing interest. We've found it helps if we keep them short and include his name a lot!!

: Also, we still don't ultimately require her to pray with us. We tell her we are going to pray, invite her to join, give her a second, and if she isn't joining, we go ahead. We do ask that she at least be quite during prayer time. She usually gets upset now if we go ahead without her. IMO, 13 months is WAY to early to expect any type of prayer compliance. We just prayed with her their, and when she was about 18 months she occasionally started copying us.

[guestmama9911]

A nice thought for the day:

President Brigham Young (1801–77) told us to have courage despite our weaknesses: “In addressing a congregation, though the speaker be unable to say more than half a dozen sentences, and those awkwardly constructed, if his heart is pure before God, those few broken sentences are of more value than the greatest eloquence without the Spirit of the Lord and of more real worth in the sight of God, angels, and all good men. In praying, though a person’s words be few and awkwardly expressed, if the heart is pure before God, that prayer will avail more than the eloquence of a Cicero [a first century b.c. Roman orator]. What does the Lord, the Father of us all, care about our mode of expression? The simple, honest heart is of more avail with the Lord than all the pomp, pride, splendor, and eloquence produced by men. When he looks upon a heart full of sincerity, integrity, and child-like simplicity, he sees a principle that will endure forever—‘That is the spirit of my own kingdom—the spirit I have given to my children.’ ”1

[lacysmommy]

DD2 is loosing her teeth. The dentist scraped the whole thing out today and all that's left is a root. She says the other one needs to come out, too. I am so sad and feel so guilty. And DH laid off today as well (which really isn't such a big deal because he's union and that happens often... he'll get another job very soon. Just in the meantime, he has a month before his next big project is starting, and needs to find something to keep him busy for now).

[seren]

Originally Posted by lacysmommy

DD2 is loosing her teeth. The dentist scraped the whole thing out today and all that's left is a root. She says the other one needs to come out, too. I am so sad and feel so guilty. And DH laid off today as well (which really isn't such a big deal because he's union and that happens often... he'll get another job very soon. Just in the meantime, he has a month before his next big project is starting, and needs to find something to keep him busy for now).

I'm sorry. I know it's hard. Madalyn knocked one of her teeth out just after she turned two. Now I think she looks incredibly cute, but I was really upset after it happened. And of course it was after she had $9000 worth of work done, including a root canal on that tooth. Where are the teeth she is losing? Top, bottom?

[guestmama9911]

I'm actually scared to bring DS to the dentist. I know he needs it but I know it is going to be traumatic.

[seren]

Originally Posted by alisaterry

I'm actually scared to bring DS to the dentist. I know he needs it but I know it is going to be traumatic.

Why traumatic? Our pede dentist is amazing and we have never had any problems.

[guestmama9911]

He doesn't like people coming at his face. It is bad enough each night when we help him brush his teeth. It is always a scream fest followed by comfort nursing. I need to find a REALLY gentle dentist in the Orem area, and soon, because his four front teeth do not look good.

[guestmama9911]

We saw 52 Weeks of Family Nights on sahile we were out shopping tonight so we just picked it up. The cover price is only $6.95! Thank you for the suggestion, Shannon!

Is anyone planning on a garden this year? This is the ugly time of year when the snow starts meling so everything looks brown and soaked and wrong.

[NewCrunchyDaddy]

Originally Posted by alisaterry

We saw 52 Weeks of Family Nights on sahile we were out shopping tonight so we just picked it up.

"Sahile"? What language is that in? Hindu?

[Isaacs_mom]

hi all i have been off MDC for awhile now and want to get back on here I am LDS too .. I am gonna sub to this thread and will read thru everything tomorrow great ? alisaterry I am excited to read all your answers.
I will do an intro though :
I am Jenn , wife to Dan we were married 1/24/05 , we were sealed 2 years ago on 2/12/06 . We have an almost 2 yr old-Isaac (on 3/5) and a new one coming anytime now (will be induced 2/27 if he does not come before) -Eli . We live in the East Bay Area ,Hayward . OK if you have any ? ask .. I have been here before but have been MIA ..but I am back . I am gonna try to live the gospel more and be more AP with my kids. OK so that is all for now .. back tomorrow to catch up

[seren]

Good luck Alisa.

I wish I had paid more attention to Madalyn's teeth before I did. Maybe then she wouldn't have had to have six root canals before her second birthday. I feel so guilty over that and I really don't know what I'm going to do about this baby and nursing at night as long as I did Mady. It's quite frustrating.

[linguistmama]

Originally Posted by alisaterry

We saw 52 Weeks of Family Nights on sahile we were out shopping tonight so we just picked it up. The cover price is only $6.95! Thank you for the suggestion, Shannon!

Is anyone planning on a garden this year? This is the ugly time of year when the snow starts meling so everything looks brown and soaked and wrong.

Where did you buy the book?

[lacysmommy]

Alisa, I took my DD in to the dentist as soon as I noticed decay. She is still losing two teeth, though we're getting a second opinion about whether that is necessary. DH is very angry because they took out most of the tooth and they didn't even do any xrays. It's all based on visual observation. I am upset because I took her in six months ago and they could have stopped the problems, but they didn't. I'm the lay person. I should be able to trust the experts. No wonder I have such a distrust for many in the medical community. I know we're never using this particular dental group again, as soon as we get our insurance changed that is. Take him in as soon as you can. I feel guilty that I wasn't more pushy with her oral health.

We're planting a garden this year. I'm planning on tomatoes, beans and peas, squash, carrots, and radishes, at least. I'll probably end up planting more than that. Maybe some peppers and tomitillos. I'm thinking of broccoli and cauliflower as well. Maybe lettuice and spinach. I love fresh veggies from the garden!

[LionTigerBear]

Hey everyone! I didn't see this thread until now, I'm a little slow.

Catching up now!

[kathirynne]

Alisa (and thank you for inviting me to participate in this thread )

My name is Kathirynne. I am a single mumma of 4 lovely children. (My second son was ordained a Teacher last Sunday.)

I am an English major, currently writing my thesis on the Harry Potter series - it's a literary comparison of Harry Potter and Homer's Oddessy. Really captivating stuff. (NCD, I'd love your input... )

[NewCrunchyDaddy]

Originally Posted by linguistmama

Where did you buy the book?

: Wal•Mart :

[brightonwoman]

Originally Posted by alisaterry

I'm actually scared to bring DS to the dentist. I know he needs it but I know it is going to be traumatic.

The trauma of it will vary greatly by where you go...at all costs AVOID Dr Young (who advertises so heavily). We hated them. Huge impersonal office, looooong wait times, never saw the same person twice...it was awful.

My earliest dental experiences were pretty traumatic--the dentist was great, but his hygenists were horrible. It was a loooooong, lonely, painful experience every time. I dreaded going. I have not had that experience since then.

We really liked Dr Stephen Sachs in north provo (by the mouth of the canyon, kinda hard to find but they'll give you good directions). He has flatscreens in the ceiling and wireless headphones, so the kids can just sit and watch amovie (theirs or yours) during the cleaning--that helped Will to hold still. They are also just really good with kids--Will had a horrible time handling the bitewing x-rays because they poked in his mouth, and so we could only ever get 1-2 shots per visit. they were very patient with him and just did the best they could. They talked with him and helped him and then worked from slightly fuzzy x-rays when he moved, etc. When fillings are needed, they do only white (no metal) so of course I like that. Also he has a small practice by himself, so it's a small office, short wait times, etc. They are very personable and friendly. One time I forgot my debit card for my co-pay, and they said no big deal just come by later or tomorrow to take care of it.
Theo nly thing I did not like about them was that they will fill any little thing they find. IE--I have several little divots in my teeth. They wanted to fill them. My new dentist here went over the x-rays with me and showed me how they were technically holes, but were small, and less than halfway through to the dentin...to fill them, he has to drill down to the dentin to get the filling to stick. Since no filling is as strong as the original enamel, he was hesitant to do that on such a small hole...he was more of the opinion to watch and wait, because some divots never get any deeper....Dr Sachs, on the other hand, watned to just fill them all... A little frustrating for me, but then again you can always refuse to get the filling.......

When I was caling around, most pediatric dentists believed in the knock-em-out principle (at least the ones I called!) and I was NOT ok with that for routine checkups.

[brightonwoman]

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