Lesson Objectives: to make the adolescents/children aware that we should live in our family group respecting the individualities; the rights of each person and observe, above all, our responsibility towards the joy and happiness of this group. We are all brothers, being part of a larger family before the Lord; but until we reach the ultimate fraternity, we’ll go learning with various groups, through different reincarnations.
Greetings and Opening prayer
First: ask questions related to the theme of the class, promoting a group dialogue.
Click here to see suggested questions.
Second: exposition through dialogue.
Nobody can respect their peers if they don’t learn what their limits are. This includes understanding that you can’t always do everything you want in life. It’s important that the adolescents/children learn that they can do many things, but there are limits; freedom must be used responsibly.
Many tend to prefer to satisfy one's desire, though sometimes this could hurt someone.
- Can you bite and tear the hair of your fellow colleague just because he took your favourite game?
- Can you vandalize public property?
- Can you throw objects out of the window of a building, just to see what happens when it gets down there?
- Can you spray walls to show that you have painting skills or just because you’re disgusted with the world or with certain people?
- Can you drive after drinking alcohol?
- Can you ride really fast on your new bike, without stopping when you see a person crossing the road?
- Can you take something from someone else simply because you liked the object?
- Can you pretend you haven’t noticed you received too much change after you purchase something at a shop and say nothing?
- Can you attack your girl/boyfriend because she/he left you for someone else?
- Can you throw alcohol on a homeless person and set this person on fire, just as a joke?
* The spiritist teacher may ask the adolescents/children to say things that they’d often like to do, but know they shouldn’t do or is inconvenient.
Conclude: the ones who will answer "no, you can’t!" are the ones who learned that many things can be done; whereas, many others can’t and shouldn’t be done, even if we have a strong desire to do them. We’ll be happy and avoid many difficulties as well as sorrows if we respect and take some basic rules in life; especially if we learn from childhood to love and respect each other and not just ourselves.
We, parents, teachers and spiritist teachers, look forward to seeing our young people growing up in the direction of happiness. We are always concerned to guide them towards the right way to go. The human being at birth doesn’t have yet a defined ethic. This is why we have a crucial - and spectacular – task to pass on to the new generations these important concepts. So if we all agree, let’s get to work! It will be worth it!
Third: to put some topics in a box, so that each adolescent/child takes one, reads and explains it in his/her own words to the other classmates.
Click here for suggestions of topics.
Fourth: give the adolescents/children stripes of paper so they can write questions about situations/problems related to their families. Tell them they don’t need to write their names on it and ask them to place these questions inside a box.
Tell them they can write as many as they want to. When everyone has written their questions down, the spiritist teacher must pick a question and ask all of them to give their opinions. Get them to come to the conclusion to what should be the best attitude to take in that situation. The spiritist teacher can ask more questions or complement the answers, if necessary. It’s important that the adolescents/children participate and feel comfortable talking about their own difficulties. It’s also interesting to get them to think about their attitudes, helping them with their difficulties.
Fifth: talk about the topic "Peace at home".
How can we have peace at home? First, we must replace selfishness and pride for understanding. Each component of the family has its own characteristics and must accept the way of each being and its evolutionary stage. Remember that we also have flaws and quirks that sometimes displease others. Reflect on it.
Dialogue is the best way to solve something we believe is wrong. When certain actions displease us, we'll talk about it calmly, without being intolerant. Peace at home depends on everyone. If any family member can’t act with patience and tolerance, don’t worry, don’t be discouraged; understand him/her. Continue to have peaceful attitudes. In doing so, you’ll be able to be an example to others.
Closing Prayer
Suggested Class suitable for: 3rd cycle (11 to 12 years old) and Youth.
Lesson received from Sandra Ramos Medeiros from Spiritist Centre ‘Fé, Amor e Caridade’.
Translation: Carolina von Scharten, London, linked to BUSS - The British Union of Spiritist Societies.
