I think that one of the greatest things that you can do to help your children is teach them scripture stories. As your children learn about the heroes that are discussed in the Bible and the Book of Mormon, they can learn from their examples and stand up for what is right. The stories in the scriptures are powerful. You can usually find a story to match any concept that you are trying to teach from honesty to standing up for what is right to patience in your afflictions.
One of the best ways to teach the scripture stories to your children is to read the stories to them. You can use the readers that you can buy through the church distribution center. The readers are great because they help the stories to come down to the level of the children. These are great for preschoolers and early readers. One little boy I know learned a lot about the scriptures through an audio tape series called “Scripture Scouts.”
Another way to help make the scripture stories come to life is to use flannel board figures when telling the stories to your children. You can find several patterns and complete stories in “The Friend,” or online at www.lds.org. You can also use the pictures in the Gospel Art Kit, which is also available from the distribution center.
It is important as you teach the stories, that you also teach the concepts behind the stories. One easy way to do this is to decide on a concept for family home evening, and then find a story that illustrates the concept. An easy way to do this is to use the topical guide in the back of your scriptures. After you introduce the concept, share the story, and then discuss how that can be applied to your life today.
Knowing and understanding the scriptures is a wonderful gift to give your children. What are some ways that you have taught the scriptures to your children?