Prime Time
(This is an excerpt from University Of Metaphysical Sciences course at www.umsonline.org, please feel free to visit the school website)
Childre Doc Lew, Teaching Children To Love (1996)
Purpose: to bond and reinforce primary relationship of love.
Together, parent and child decide on a convenient prime time to meet once per day and connect. Even if the length of time is only a few minutes, make a commitment to follow through each day. As a reminder, post the meeting time on a centrally located place like the refrigerator. Establish a guideline that sincere listening without interruptions will take place during any conversation that becomes a regular meeting place as a reminder of the love that you feel for each other. The parent should model quality listening form the heart.
- Do a two minute heart lock in, sending love and appreciations to each other. Each person in turn talks about the highlights of their day—what went well and what was challenging.
- Give each other a long hug.
- Share qualities that you appreciate about each other.
- Read a favorite story together or make up one together.
- Learn the words of an inspiring, short poem.
- Be quiet for a few moments and send heart together to someone that needs love or compassion. Go deep into your hearts and make a heart wish of something that you would like to happen in your lives.
- When either of you is stressed out or had a hard day, have the other person just listen with compassion, and then mirror back the words and feelings. Sincere listening is caring in action. Each of you share five things that you appreciate about your life.
Questions About The Nature Of Life And Its Meaning
Questions that look at the inner world of thoughts, feelings and values help to define who we are. As adults become authentic we model this way of creating ourselves as we go. Invite children to find their answers in prayer and contemplation. What would your favorite wise person do? What is happening in your body when you feel angry? Make a drawing of what your body is sensing.
A question I have is…
Something I want to remember when I grow up is…
Something I have trouble with…
When I am at my best, I am like…
Something I want to remember about today is…
What do you think about God?
What would make your school, the world, your parents, the universe better?
How do you know what’s the right thing to do?
What would you do if you were the president, the principle, the parent?
What is the most important thing about being you? What’s the most fun? If you weren’t you, who would you like to be?
What do you think the world looks like through an ant’s eyes or a Martian’s?
What do you think your parents think about when you’re not around?
What would you do if you had a week to live?
Draw what you think a terrorist looks like on the inside and tell me why. When the children are done, ask them to hold up their pictures to show one another.