FHE: The Lie Monster (repost)

Since I've been posting these for a loooooong time, I thought I'd re-post a couple of the more popular FHEs. This one, The Lie Monster, was one of my post popular posts for quite a long time, bringing in a lot of readers from web searches. Enjoy!

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We don't really have an issue with lying around here (unless the kids ask if I've been eating chocolate). It was da Boo's turn to teach the lesson so we were looking through some online resources, I was reading the titles and she thought "the Lie Monster" sounded the best. Of course.

Opening Song: Once There Was A Snowman (such a break with tradition but the Boy likes this song).

Opening Prayer: I volunteered.

Lesson: We talked a little about what a lie is and why someone would choose to lie (keep from being punished, not hurt feelings, etc.). We lost the Boy at this point...he missed his nap and everything was making him sob so we pointed him in the direction of Time Out until he could settle down. We resumed the lesson.

I read The Lie Monster story. Tommy first tells a lie to keep from getting into trouble for eating chocolate chips (I understand his dilemma!). Then he finds himself lying to cover his lies, lying to himself and blaming others for his problems when it is his lies that are to blame. With each new lie, his Lie Monster grows and eventually Tommy is no longer a happy boy.

Da Boo was in charge of the pictures and did a pretty good job adding the tentacles to the monster after each lie Tommy told. When the story was over, we talked about how the Lie Monster had gotten bigger with each lie. Then we discussed what Tommy could do to shrink the monster back down: tell the truth, apologize, try to be nicer, etc. I made sure to explain that sometimes telling the truth can be a really hard thing and we might want to tell a lie instead. We should never lie because Heavenly Father has asked us to always be honest. If the kids were older (and not throwing a tantrum), I would read them the 9th Commandment and explained what it meant by "false witness."

Closing Song: Choose the Right.

Closing Prayer: Da Boo.

Treat: Scoop of chocolate ice cream. I could say that I served these in my little black ramekins with strings of black licorice, to make them look like Lie Monsters but really, I just wanted chocolate ice cream. :)