Learning to do Good

Part two of the Adam and Eve story.  We reviewed that the first people had lived in a beautiful 

garden, so everyone helped put last week’s flowers and trees up on the whiteboard (because we borrow classrooms that are used by other groups during the week, we can’t leave anything posted).  Now, in the garden, they could basically do anything they wanted, such as—and we all did these together—playing ball, running around, eating a snack, singing and dancing, “swimming”, and “sleeping.”  There was just one thing they couldn’t do, and what was that?  But they did it anyway.  Not good!

                So we need to try and do better than they did, and learn to make the right choices.  We reviewed our 4-character Bible verse which, taken word by word was learn, review, do good.  So first we “learned”: everyone stood in a line & we read off ten different scenarios (e.g. I let my sister use the computer, my brother took my candy so I hit him, etc.).  If they were “good,” everyone could take one step forward, otherwise they weren’t supposed to move.  They were not real coordinated with their stepping, but the real point was discussing whether or not it was good, so that was okay.  Next we moved on to “review.”  Ten scenarios again, but this time one kid at a time came up & was asked questions like, you have homework to do, do you get it done or play on the computer?  Everyone was allowed to give hints.  If the kid who was “it” chose the “good” answer, he/she got a happy face sticker.  Our first kid stuck to his I’d-play-on-the-computer answer so didn’t get his sticker.  But then I realized I hadn’t been entirely fair to him, so called him up to ask him one more time.  Only this time, I worded it, “Do you play on the computer, or do the homework first?” and of course he answered, do the homework first.  He always chooses option #2 in an either-or question (great way to get him to do what you want, ha)!

                Next we went on to “do”.  Since not everyone will necessarily face all our scenarios, we need to apply our learning to something specific.  Each of us took a couple of kids and helped them brainstorm ways they should choose good behavior (e.g. verbalizing instead of grunting, not sneaking food from the fridge); then we prayed for God’s help for each one.  One of our newer girls couldn’t think of anything.  I asked her if she was feeling shy about it and she nodded.  So I asked if we could pray that she would not feel so shy and could speak up more spontaneously.  She nodded.  So after we finished praying and moved on to our next activity, she started asking all the other kids what their birthdays were!  Too bad most of them didn’t know, but she obviously had taken her need to learn this good thing to heart!  Sweet!

                The word for “do” in the particular Bible phrase we’d chosen also happens to be the word for “walk.”  And what body part do you walk with?  Your feet, of course.  So we made these cute little “footprints” for a craft, using our fists.  Of course none of them had ever seen them done on frosty school bus windows like I had growing up in Minnesota.  It never gets below freezing here!

 

                We had a little time left and decided to redo last week’s game with the M&M’s.  First we practiced the cup passing until they basically got it.  That took a while.  Then we played one round and the girl who hadn’t been there last week got the brown one.  Unlike all the kids from last week, she chose to eat it right away and be out of the game.  Well, it turned out to be the right choice for her because the adults came in & we never got to round two!