Rehoboam
A lesson on peer pressure
A few weeks ago I gave a lesson to my 10-year-olds on Rehoboam (the son of Solomon) and peer pressure.
I began the lesson with a bag of candy on my table. I had called one of my students ahead of time and told her of my plan. I asked her to come in, see the bag of candy, (that was marked well "Sister Hansen's for the lesson") and to get into it and eat a piece and then try to get the other kids to eat. Her family practiced how she would do it at home and things to say to tempt the other kids.
I made sure I was late to class so she had time to get them to eat the candy.
When I walked down the hallway my classroom door was closed. It is never closed. If I am late the kids have it open with their heads poking out wondering where I am at.
I opened the door and immediately Amy flung the bag onto the table and looked so guilty. The kids begin to throw each other under the bus. I heard "Amy got into the bag and we told her not to and she ate some candy" ----- "Justin ate some too" ---- "I did not eat any even though she tried to get me to eat it" ----- and it went on and on. I told those that ate how disappointed I was in them because it was for our lesson. The funny thing - Amy whispered to me "are you going to tell them the truth?" She was worried about what they thought of her :)
I did not tell them yet but immediately played hangman to figure out the word PEER PRESSURE.
Once they got the word they kids caught on and knew that I had told Amy to do it. We had a good time discussing what peer pressure meant.
We learned about Rehoboam, who was the son of Solomon. Rehoboam was not a righteous king. When Rehoboam took over he knew the people were very unhappy due to the taxes that Solomon had placed on them.
A man by the name of Jeroboam came to Rehoboam and asked him to take some of the tax burdens off of the people. Rehoboam did not listen. The more taxes that came in the more money he had.
Rehoboam next went to the elders for advice. The elders told him "if you are kind to these people, and please them, and speak good words to them, they will be your servants forever." Part of being kind is lifting some of the tax burdens.
Next Rehoboam asked his friends that were his age what he should do. They had been 'raised' in the kingdom and spoiled. They had everything that they ever wanted and they did not want that to change. His friends told Rehoboam that he needed to be strong. They told him to tell the people "You think that the yoke is heavy now! Just wait and I will make it even heavier. My father chastised you with whips but I will chastise you with scourges."
Jeroboam came a few days later for Rehoboam's decision. Rehoboam had taken his friends advice.
Jeroboam then led a revolt against Rehoboam. Ten of the tribes went with Jeroboam and only two tribes (Judah and Benjamin) stayed with Rehoboam. They fought bitterly and Israel was divided.
Rehoboam did not take advice from good or wise people. He succumbed to peer pressure and took the advice of his friends. Because of that, his kingdom was split apart.
The rest of the class we talked about peer pressure and how to handle it. We also talked about how important it is to get advice from wise people such as our parents and church leaders and especially how to listen to the promptings from the Holy Ghost.
How important it is to teach our children about peer pressure YOUNG - and how important it is to teach it from the powerful scriptures and other's lives around us.
For children
No comments:
Post a Comment