I Can Honor My Parents.
Honoring parents involves more than just obeying them. Help the children understand other ways they can honor their parents.
Friend March 2019 “A Lesson From My Parents” Color the pictures and circle the things a parent has taught you. What else can you think of?
- Help the children learn the phrase “Honour thy father and thy mother” (Exodus 20:12). If needed, explain that to “honor” someone can mean to show respect for them or to bring them happiness.
Friend November 2021 “Jesus Honored His Parents” As He grew up, Jesus obeyed His earthly parents. He loved and cared for them. Even when He was dying on the cross, He asked one of His disciples to take care of His mother. He also honored His Heavenly Father by keeping the commandments.
Friend November 2021 “Jesus Honored His Parents” As He grew up, Jesus obeyed His earthly parents. He loved and cared for them. Even when He was dying on the cross, He asked one of His disciples to take care of His mother. He also honored His Heavenly Father by keeping the commandments.
- Help the children think of things they can do to honor their parents, and invite them to act out their ideas.
Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families: Old Testament 2022 “Exodus 18-20” To better understand Exodus 20:12, it might help if your family looked up definitions of the word “honor.” Then family members could make a list of things we can do that would honor our parents. You might sing a song about honoring parents, like “Quickly I’ll Obey” (Children’s Songbook, 197), and then use some of the ideas in your list to write new verses to the song.
What did Jesus do to honor His Heavenly Father? How did He honor His mother? (see Luke 2:48–51; John 19:26–27).
New Era March 2017 “20 Wats to Honor Mom and Dad”
Friend September 2023 “I Can Follow Jesus by Honoring My Parents”
- Invite the children to make a thank-you card for their parents. They could write or draw inside the card something they will do to honor their parents.
The Cozy Red Cottage Go to link to download free printables
Discuss some ways Lehi and Sariah were “goodly parents.” Then think of and share some of the “goodly” traits of your parents, grandparents, or someone you admire. You can use this cute printable to write down your thoughts. There are two wording options-use the best one for your situation. These can be done as a family or print one for each person.
Next pick one person from your list and write a letter to that person thanking him or her for demonstrating some of the traits you have observed. I included some blank stationary pages and thank you cards. For the cards fold on the line.
Discussion: Share your list with your family. What is a trait from your list that you would like to develop? What steps can you take to develop that trait?
Friend September 2020 “Loving Our Families” Cut out the strips of paper and put them in a bowl. After you do one of the activities, add a link to your chain of hearts.
I can honor my mother as Jesus did.
Jesus Turns Water into Wine video
Come, Follow Me—For Primary: New Testament 2023 “John 2–4” At the wedding in Cana, Mary told Jesus that the wine had run out. According to the Joseph Smith Translation, Jesus responded to His mother by asking, “Woman, what wilt thou have me to do for thee? that will I do” (in John 2:4, footnote a). Jesus is an example of how we should treat our mothers.
- Invite the children to read John 2:1–11 and take turns retelling the story in their own words.
- Ask the children to list things their mother might need help with. Invite them to practice what they could say to her using some of Jesus’s words: “What wilt thou have me to do for thee?” (John 2:4, footnote a).
Friend November 2022 “A Happy Helper” Felix helps his mom get ready for Grandpa’s visit. A
- Invite some mothers to visit your class and share what their children do to show respect for them.
To honor your parents means to love, respect, and obey them.
Friend November 2021 “Jesus Honored His Parents” As He grew up, Jesus obeyed His earthly parents. He loved and cared for them. Even when He was dying on the cross, He asked one of His disciples to take care of His mother. He also honored His Heavenly Father by keeping the commandments.
New Era March 2017 “20 Ways to Honor Mom and Dad”
Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families: New Testament 2023 “John 2-4” At a marriage feast in Cana, Christ changed water into wine—an event John called the “beginning of miracles” (John 2:11). That’s true in more than one sense. While this was the first miracle Jesus performed publicly, it can also symbolize another miraculous beginning—the process of our hearts being transformed as we become ever more like our Savior. This miracle of a lifetime begins with the decision to follow Jesus Christ, to change and live a better life through Him.
I Can Obey My Parents
Come, Follow Me—For Primary: New Testament 2023 “Matthew 21–23; Mark 11; Luke 19–20; John 12” Heavenly Father wants us to be obedient. The parable of the two sons is an opportunity to teach about the importance of obedience.
- Draw a picture of two sons on the board, and use the drawings as you recount the parable in Matthew 21:28–32. Which son did the right thing in the end? Ask the children to name things they can do to be obedient at home. Let them draw pictures of themselves doing one of those things.
- Invite the children to share experiences they have had with being obedient to their parents. How were they blessed for being obedient?
Friend August 2018 “Puddles and Blessings” Marcel doesn’t want to go on a hike in the rain with his mom and the Young Women. His mom tells him something good might happen because there are blessings from obeying parents. At the hike he finds that his friend Noah is there and they have a blast playing in puddles together.
Friend August 2016 “Micah Obeys” Micah learns that he can help his family be happy when he obeys.
Heavenly Father wants me to obey my parents.(Jr)
Read Ephesians 6:1 to the class, or help one of the children read it. Help them think of times when they obeyed their parents. Ask them to share how they were blessed for obeying and how they felt when they obeyed. Why is it important to obey our parents? (Come, Follow Me—For Primary: New Testament 2023 “Ephesians” )
Friend August 2015 “Fire” As a young boy, President Monson starts a fire with forbidden matches and he learns an important lesson about obedience.
Friend August 2017 “The Rocket Fiasco” Andrew’s friends convince him to try out his birthday rocket that he’s supposed to wait and do with his dad’s supervision. The rocket lands in the neighbors car and starts a fire.
Sing together a song about obedience, such as “Quickly I’ll Obey” (Children’s Songbook, 197). Let the children take turns naming something their parents ask them to do, and invite them to pretend to do that thing. (Come, Follow Me—For Primary: New Testament 2023 “Ephesians” )
Show a picture of Jesus Christ being baptized (see Gospel Art Book, no. 35), and share how the Savior obeyed Heavenly Father by being baptized (see 2 Nephi 31:6–7). Share an experience in which you obeyed your parents and were blessed. Why does Heavenly Father want us to obey our parents? (Come, Follow Me—For Primary: New Testament 2023 “Ephesians” )
Friend March 2023 “Jesus Christ Was Baptized”
New Era March 2017 “Why I Honor My Parents”
When I was about eight years old, I learned a very valuable lesson. It was early spring in the small Utah town where I lived, and some of my eight-year-old friends and I wanted to camp outside one night. My father said, “It’s still very cold at night. You’ll be miserable, and you’ll probably get sick.”
I explained that we thought everything would be fine. My parents let me make my own choice, and my friends and I decided to go ahead with the campout. As it got late the temperature dropped and it became very cold. Instead of having a great time, we were awake and miserable most of the night and, true to my father’s prediction, a day or two later I got sick.
As I was sick at home and missing fun activities, I remembered the advice my father had given me. Every bad consequence he mentioned had happened. I remember thinking, “Wow, my dad is really smart.” I came to realize, even at that young age, that my father had more experience and wisdom than me and if I were more careful in seeking and following his counsel it would make my life happier.
Your parents love you and want to help you.
Come Follow Me for Kids “New Testament Activities: Download #36” For the Perfecting of the Saints” Help them see the blessings that come from being obedient and remind them that they’ll be happier when they are obedient. Possible scenarios:
Mom asks you to eat your healthy food at dinner before you eat a cookie. How would
Dad asks you to turn the TV off and do your chores.
Mom asks you to kneel down for family prayer.
Dad asks you to sit quietly during scripture study time.
Mom asks you to share your toys with your sister.
Dad asks you to stay off of a busy road near your house.
Mom asks you to be kind to your neighbors.
Remind them that we are “Dear children” of God (Ephesians 5:1) and encourage them to also be
obedient to their Heavenly Father
Heavenly Father wants me to obey and honor my parents. (Sr)
Invite the children to read Ephesians 6:1–3 individually and identify phrases that stand out to them. Invite them to share these phrases and why they feel the phrases are important. (Come, Follow Me—For Primary: New Testament 2023 “Ephesians” )
Explain that to “honor” someone can mean to show respect for them or to bring them happiness.
Friend November 2021 “Jesus Honored His Parents” As He grew up, Jesus obeyed His earthly parents. He loved and cared for them. Even when He was dying on the cross, He asked one of His disciples to take care of His mother. He also honored His Heavenly Father by keeping the commandments.
Help the children find and talk about examples of people in the scriptures who obeyed and honored their parents, such as the Savior (see Luke 2:42–52), Ruth (see Ruth 1), or Nephi (see 1 Nephi 3:1–8). Why is it important to obey and honor our parents? (Come, Follow Me—For Primary: New Testament 2023 “Ephesians” )
Friend June 2022 “Ruth and Naomi”
Give each child a piece of paper with the word honor at the top. Discuss what the word means. Invite the children to write or draw on their papers something they can do to show that they honor their parents. (Come, Follow Me—For Primary: New Testament 2023 “Ephesians” )
Explain that to “honor” someone can mean to show respect for them or to bring them happiness.
Friend September 2023 “I Can Follow Jesus by Honoring My Parents”
