Dealing with LIONS

My girl is starting kindergarten in less than a month. My boy is starting preschool in exactly one month. (YES, I am teary eyed as I write this.)

I am quite terrified. Especially since I have been a teacher and know all too well the drama that can be and will be found among classmates. I am not saying I want to home school my children, because I WOULD GO INSANE!!!!!!!!  But I am saying that I am worried (Shocking) that I can't control everything and everyone they come across. (I'm paranoid, I know.) By the way, I do see the benefits of placing my children into a perfect bubble to keep them safe - like the Bubble Boy on Seinfeld. But, I won't. I'll be like all other parents who send their kids to school to learn academically and socially, with my fingers crossed that I have done enough to prepare them. (Full on crying now!)

I found a cute idea on a FHE based on the story of Daniel and the Lion's Den. I tweeked it a bit, but loved the simplicity of the message. (Amazing how simple the scriptures can be!)

We searched for any lions we could find in the house to join us for our FHE. We sang Daniel's verse of Follow the Prophet and paid careful attention to the lyrics. We watched the Daniel and the Lion's Den scripture video on LDS.org. Then we discussed why exactly Daniel was protected.

"He had faith and was obedient to our Heavenly Father," said Afton. 

 

 

 

"Uh yeah, but he was brave too!" explained Jack. 

Bingo!

We did a little activity that you can find in the February 2007 Friend magazine to help us prepare to be faithful and brave like Daniel. We talked about what could be some "LIONS" that we might face when we go to school. LIONS like, having a hard time making friends, feeling lost or lonely, dealing with a bully, or not knowing how to do something. We discussed ways that can help us to be faithful and brave like Daniel when at school if we come across a LION. 

 

Afton gave great insight and help for her little brother. "I know how to be brave Jack because I've already done preschool. And I dealt with a few LIONS, but mostly I just painted." (Later that night, Afton came to me and said that she is scared to go to Kindergarten because it will be way different from preschool, but she talked about how she can be brave like Daniel. Bingo!)
 

We made little CTR shields to help protect us from these LIONS too. We colored them and placed them in their school notebooks and pencil boxes to be little reminders for them when they don't have me right there with them. Afton said that she wanted one of her shields to be a bookmark. Great idea. 

 

 

Jack asked, "But what if someone doesn't know what this CTR shield is?"
 

Afton told him, "Well then just explain it to them. Then you'll be like a mishamarry (missionary)." 

BINGO!!!!!!!!!!

I hope this lesson will continue to be as powerful to them throughout their school year as it was that night. I felt like it was really helpful, not just for them, but for me. We were able to discuss our feelings, worries, and concerns. Plus, they gave great ideas all on their own on how to deal with these LIONS.