Family Home Evening Planner

One of the most important things for me to include in the Mothers Who Know planner was Family Home Evening planning pages.  Seriously, before this planner I had notes, ideas, thoughts that never got done because they either got lost, thrown away or never happened because I didn't write it down and I just forgot.  

I love that it is just right here with everything else I need so that it's there when those ideas, thoughts and inspiration come.  Quick little note or word and bam, I'm prepared and armed to help me and my husband lead our family more deliberately.  I take my planner to FHE and often times just hand it over to my hubby to conduct or lead and address the plans, concerns, goals and needs of our little family.  It really feels like we're a team.  But, if your husband doesn't like doing that, you can take charge and get it done yourself.  It's a great tool for families.  If you don't have kids yet, write down your goals as a couple for your future family.  Write down your goals as a couple.  If you are an empty nester, write down thoughts about your grandchildren or your adult children.  Once a parent, always a parent.  :)

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 My husband loves that our lessons are planned out so we know who is over the lesson that week. We plan these together and coordinate them with what the kids are learning about at church.  We do random lessons too that the kids take part in.  Our oldest especially loves to plan out lessons so we make sure they each get opportunities to teach and share their testimonies with the family.

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You'll also notice on this page that there is plenty of space to jot down goals or family discussions you want or have had.  All of them don't always get discussed that week, but they are there to refer to for next month or in casual conversations over breakfast or dinner too.  We try not to make FHE too heavy or complicated.  Just quick little discussions and brainstorming together so that we really feel like a team.  My kids often get a lot of their feelings out during our family council.  Any frustrations they have or any thing they like or want to add to our family traditions or activities.  We also talk about our family calendar and what is going on when so we can be prepared.  How handy that it is located right in front of the Family Home Evening spread.  

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I wanted to implement the Family Proclamation as much as possible throughout the planner and this little section in the corner has all of the fundamentals to what the First Presidency says will help us build successful, happy families.  These attributes and principles of the gospel are what we need to focus on in our families to be successful, so why not put them right there in front of our faces each month to refer to and to check out different areas we can work on and improve in our families?

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I can't tell you how many times my kids have fought over who's turn it was to do the treat the thought or the talent and I had no idea who was right because I just hadn't kept track anywhere.  The fighting definitely didn't add a nice spirit going into our Family Night together.  Why not put a tracker in the planner?  Yes! This solved that problem.  In fact, I went and filled it out for the rest of the year just so I know exactly who is doing what.  It adds a nice element to FHE because I can plan ahead who is going to help get the treat ready and it makes me look like supermom to my kids because they really think I know everything.  (Wonder how long until they catch on?) I can remind whoever is doing the thought or talent to prepare something meaningful and it has added a lot of peace to our evenings together.  No more arguments or contention in that area.

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 I use the boxes for reminders or thoughts that will help me as a mother.  I jot down a lot of my Pinterest  pins that I've found to remind me to get those done or ask the kids what they think about them.  I leave little notes for myself and keep all things family on these pages.  I can write thoughts down that I have during sacrament mtg. or sunday school that I want to introduce or implement more fully into my family.  You can use it as a little journal or To Do's or Recipes, however you choose.

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We like to have a topic or theme each month, but you don't have to.  I jot down ours in the circle on top, but yours can be used for a quote, a note or idea you have.  No rules here.  Make it your own.

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After I plan everything in the planner, I just refer to my notes and go and switch the names up on our FHE board so that it is visual for the kids.  They love seeing who's turn it is for everything and they get so excited.  I'm sure this wont always be the case as our kids get older, but its great for now.  ( P.S., I have no idea why there is a can of evaporated milk on that shelf in the hallway, interesting but I'm too lazy to go back downstairs and take another picture)

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 So there you have it.  The FHE evening planner pages and some ideas of how to implement it into your life as a mother who knows.

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I planned all this at a soccer practice outside on a beautiful sunny day.  It doesn't have to be overwhelming for us to take a few minutes and really seek out the needs of our family members and jot down those ideas and inspirations that we get to help our families.  I don't fill mine out completely in one day, I am re-writing and jotting things down the whole month.

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 Take your brain aka planner with you as much as possible.  You never know when you'll get inspired.

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