Guest Author - Terrie Lynn Bittner

Purpose: This family home evening will help the family understand that although they may not be able to change the world all by themselves, as a family working together, they can make a difference that will matter.

Preparation: Assign someone to tell the story of the starfish Make a large number of paper starfish. (Note: Your children might enjoy making the starfish craft on this page—scroll down to find it. However, there is a link in the craft to a starfish pattern.) Punch a hole in the top of each one. Prepare a long string or piece of yarn to hang them on later. Decorate a box (or let the children decorate one) to hold the starfish.

1. Ask the assigned reader to tell the story of the starfish. Display a real or paper starfish for the family to see. Ask them what the message of the story is. The story tells us that even though we can’t fix big problems all alone, we can make a difference that matters.

2. Ask your family to make a list of world problems that are too big for any one of them to fix alone. Post this list for future reference.

3. Hand each family member a starfish. Ask your youngest family member to stand up. If he threw one fish into the ocean, how many would he save? Now ask the rest of the family to stand, one at a time. Show them that although your youngest child—or any other family member—could save only one fish, the entire family could save more if they worked together.

4. Ask a child to try to do something that is difficult to do alone, such as lifting the sofa. Then invite the rest of the family to help. Point out that your family is a team that has great strength and power when you pull together.

5. Share a portion of President Hinckley’s talk, “I Believe” (Ensign, August 1992, page 7.) Start with the sentence, “Though my work may be menial” and end with “….seemingly inconsequential acts.”

6. Refer your family to the list they made earlier of world or local problems. Tell them that as a family, you are going to choose a problem and use your combined strength as a family to improve it. You won’t be able to solve the problem completely, but like the starfish thrower, and like President Hinckley, you’ll make a difference in the lives of those you are able to touch. Work together to choose a project and make a plan.

7. Show the family the box of starfish and the string. Tell them you’d like them to watch for ways to make a difference in their world, at home, at school, or anywhere else they might be. Each time they do, they should decorate a starfish and hang it on the string. Challenge them to fill the string as quickly as possible.

8. End the evening with starshaped cookies and activities that would be hard to do alone, such as group games or a jigsaw puzzle.