Sunday is Family Time in our house. Olivia and Braeden LOVE this and look forward to it through the week. We didn't get to have family time last week with Easter and being out of town, so today was much anticipated. I got this idea, and modified it slightly, from a book I'm reading entitled Raising a G-Rated Family in an X-Rated World; Advice From a Family of Nine. It is a good book so far, and I really liked the idea of family time. For ours, we alternate singing songs about God, praying, reading from a children's devotional Bible, doing role plays on difficult topics they may encounter, and ending with a snack which one child has helped me to make earlier in the day. The snack making is one of their favorite parts, and they always know whose turn it is to help mom. Today was Olivia's and we made Smores cookies. Tonight's schedule (to give you an idea) - Opening prayer by Braeden, Went through "attribute" rocks (more later), Song picked by Olivia - This Little Light, Devotional story about a farm and growing food given to us by God, Song picked by Braeden - The B-I-B-L-E, Role plays - Olivia: someone at school asks "Is that your real mom? Why doesn't she have the same color skin as you?" - Braeden: (follow up from a couple weeks ago) someone offers you a cigarette, Closing prayer by Olivia, snack. We also discuss character traits and why they are important such as honesty or gratitude. The "rocks" I have were purchased at a store making pottery. They make "rocks" and write words such as Faith, Creativity, Love, Dreams, Compassion, etc. We went through each tonight for the first time, what they said, and what they mean. I think we will go more in depth on one each week for a while. I talked to them about how they are traits that I wish for them in their life, and why. Family Time is so special and I am so grateful that they love it so much too.