So I have been looking forward to/dreading yesterday for a couple of weeks because it would be the first time that my nursery class would be meeting at its new time (1:00 pm) with half the kids--the other half have moved on to Sunbeams (We had Stake Conference last week). Well, it went so much better than expected. I was really nervous that we would have some serious breakdowns since we would be trying to hold a lesson right in the middle of the little darlings' normal nap time. It went surprisingly well, though. There were only 7-9 kids (2 of the kids came and went with their parents) which was a real bonus since it is so much easier to try to handle the kiddies when we aren't so entirely outnumbered--all but one of the kiddies were sweet little girls, which helped a lot as well. Throughout the entire day they were really well behaved and even sat in their chairs straight through singing time and coloring time. (No lesson as the assigned teacher didn't manage their snack/coloring time at all) If we had had a lesson I think they would have sat through it. This is really great cause just possibly I may not dread/have great fear of Sundays for the next couple of months.
Unfortunately, over the next couple of months we will continue to add kids to our class bringing us close to the number we had before (and of course all the new kids will be 18 months which means they can't talk(much), color (much), or participate in what we are trying to do as a class). One of our 4 teachers has also been moved up to Sunbeams as a teacher so I hope they are planning on calling someone new by the time we are up to our higher numbers. (They pulled one of our teachers because they decided there were going to be so many Sunbeams that they would need to split them into two classes. Never mind that we had all those Sunbeams plus all the nursery kids we still have for most of last year and they never allowed us to split. This is my main complaint about nursery--they tell us we are not just babysitters but that it is important that we have lessons, etc. But they don't actually enable us to do that. If they want us to teach lessons, etc. then they need to gives us the teachers to be able to manage the class or allow us to split the class otherwise let's just call us what they are enabling us to do: be babysitters--sorry, small tangent.)
I am teaching the lesson in 2 weeks and looked over the lesson last night. It is about Heavenly Father's plan for us--focuses on how we lived with Heavenly Father before we were born and that there are certain things we need to do on earth so that we can return to Him someday. For our craft I thought I would get some crowns for the kiddies to decorate to emphasize the point that we children of God (the crown idea is actually from lesson 1, but since they didn't get lesson 1 and since the craft was just coloring again I thought I would steal it) and that we lived with him. Then we will move on to the lesson. The thing is, though, I am not a crafty person (I often feel sorry for my nursery kids cause most of the time we just color, and that can get kind of old) so I need to get some crowns. I was thinking about going into Burger King and asking for some, but I'm not sure how they will feel about donating materials for a church class. Anyone else have some ideas (easy ideas)?
7 comments:
Hey, I am so glad that your nursery was better this week! Hopefully it will continue... as far as your craft idea goes, have you ever heard of the primary partner books? I know I used them when I was in sunbeams. I think they have them for nursery too. Anyway they have all the craft ideas in them and all you have to do is copy them and cut them out, I'm sure they will have a crown for lesson #1 if it was suggested. Anyway, I think you get them at like Deseret Book or Seagull and I don't think they are very expensive. Just a thought.
I am sooo glad nursery was better! Now all you have to do is pray it will stay that way! I bet Burger King will give you crowns if you ask them. Maybe do it in two trips or separate Bk's. The books cranat is talking about are in our church Library and the primary closets. See if your ward has them too. Good luck with nursery.
I love you. I love you. I love you. I say that for all the nursery leaders over the years I've never properly thanked. Since my kids have been in nursery they have had LOTS of different leaders in LOTS of different sized nurseries (usually too big) and I'm always so grateful to the people who say yes to serve there.
I was also in a primary presidency over a nursery that fluctuated from 16 (January) to nearly 40 in December. We split into three groups and had SEVEN nursery leaders. Anyway, those little ones are so precious and cute most of the time, but they can also be little pills. Especially the ones whose mommies have inadvertently taught them that NO ONE else can love or take care of them even as remotely as well as Mommy can. Anyway, kudos to you Yankee Girl
PS I commented on your last couple of posts too. I haven't been here for a few days. Isn't Jeter on your most attractive males list?
Thanks for the suggestions. I'm going to try Burger King and see what happens.
Science Teacher Mommy--welcome back (I had noticed you hadn't been around) thank you for saying thanks--really sometimes that will actually make everything better. Also thank you for being a good mother and a good primary pres. The idea of 40 kids makes want to think about slitting my wrists.
And yes, Jeter is on my list, but for attractive man I was going for someone a bit more universal.
Just get one Burger King crown and then use it as a pattern. You can trace it onto poster board. Keep it flat and have the kids glue flat-backed jewels (you can find cheap plastic jewels at any craft store.) After the jewels dry, staple the crowns to fit their heads.
Just an idea!!
I am back in Primary as well. I was just called to be the first counselor - again! I was first counselor from 2000-2003. I was then a primary teacher from 2004-2006. And now I am back in the presidency. I am trying to be excited again. But I REALLY do not want to teach sharing time again. And I was really enjoying a 2 hour block of being kid free.
Great idea Kimberly. I'm going to try that--the girls will love it. Plus that will take care of a craft project that is not coloring.
I'm sure you will do great, but I can understand not wanting to teach sharing time and missing 2 hours of kid-free church. Good Luck.
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