Tithing Lesson for Sharing Time

[Linked]

I teach Sunbeams and was blessed with a lesson on tithing in Sharing time. I'm getting more cynical, when I saw the stake primary presidency watching from the back of the room I couldn't help but think it was fitting, having the Stake leaders there to make sure the 4 year olds get told they need to pay 10% of their money the the church, (or is it God, they're the same thing, right? No big deal) for the rest of their lives. It was actually well done, but anymore I can't take the "Heavenly Father only wants 10% back from what He gives you, that's not very much!" or using the church and God synonymously when it comes to giving money. She got lots of kids involved, having 10 come up to hold up copies of $1 bills and having one of them be the tithing dollar. It was fun. Indoctrination is most effective when it's fun.

My 6 year old son ate the lesson up. He made us stop at the bishop's office so he could pick up a tithing slip and envelope for him to pay his tithing. The moment he got home he went to his room to figure out how much tithing to give. I would have been proud and relieved that he was so excited about tithing as a TBM, this would have been one of my prouder moments. But now I just cringe. For my wife, this would have been a proud moment for her too, but now she has to worry about her apostate husband screwing it all up.

My son came in to ask me how much he should give. I was struggling and getting emotional inside, so I picked him up and hugged him and told him I was proud of him that he wanted to help Heavenly Father. I told him that Heavenly Father will be proud of him no matter how much he gives; nothing, 1%, 5%, 10%, whatever. And I asked him not to give more than 10%. He's got a little stash of money he has collected over the years, and he went and grabbed $1 and said that was what he would give. Filled out his slip and put it in the envelope to give the Bishop next Sunday. I'm glad he wants to give.

My wife and I have been a bit distant since then. This is going to be tough.

[Raylan Givens]

Someone mentioned this in a post when I asked about charities. They mentioned the idea of having a picture that shows kids where the money is going. For the church, it is hard to say....

I am searching for that place, then I can teach my kids to give what they want and feel will help that person group.

Tithing is very touchy when dealing with believing spouses. I guess money is always touchy...

[wtfluff]

It was fun. Indoctrination is most effective when it's fun.

[Red Ryder]

I always use to explain to my kids that daddy already paid tithing on his money so any money I give them is already covered. No need to double tithe.

Where does it say you have to pay tithing on a regular basis or within a calendar year?

What if I choose to put it in my savings account and then have it paid out upon my death?

Would I still be a full tithe payer? Or am I deferring my worthiness to the next life?

[redjay]

Tithing is very touchy when dealing with believing spouses. I guess money is always touchy...

Yup only one fall out this year between me and Mrs RJ - it was a heated debate on net vs gross.

Mrs RJ is in Primary and was singing 'follow the prophet' on Sunday afternoon when we got home, as she busied herself in the kitchen. I had to bite my tongue pretty heard.

[Korihor]

Tithing is very touchy when dealing with believing spouses. I guess money is always touchy...

Yup only one fall out this year between me and Mrs RJ - it was a heated debate on net vs gross.

Mrs RJ is in Primary and was singing 'follow the prophet' on Sunday afternoon when we got home, as she busied herself in the kitchen. I had to bite my tongue pretty heard.

I'm biting mine just thinking of this - kudos to you.

[MerrieMiss]

My son came in to ask me how much he should give. I was struggling and getting emotional inside, so I picked him up and hugged him and told him I was proud of him that he wanted to help Heavenly Father. I told him that Heavenly Father will be proud of him no matter how much he gives; nothing, 1%, 5%, 10%, whatever. And I asked him not to give more than 10%. He's got a little stash of money he has collected over the years, and he went and grabbed $1 and said that was what he would give. Filled out his slip and put it in the envelope to give the Bishop next Sunday. I'm glad he wants to give.

That is so sweet. I hope I can come up with something as good as this when tithing comes up. So far, it isn't an issue. My kids have very little interest in money, except it's fun to play with.

Oddly enough, when I was a kid, raised by orthodox TBM parents, my mom told me not to bother ward clerks with my loose change tithing. She said they had enough to do without me wasting their time with pocket change. So I didn't pay until I was twelve or so and began to babysit. I mentioned this to my husband recently, who has been a financial clerk, and he agreed. Counting pocket change is a pain. I remember one time he got home very late and when I asked him why he said it must have been a tithing lesson in Primary. He had about fifty $0.01 slips to count and put in the system.

My teaching partner taught a tithing lesson last year in primary. She gave all the kids slips, and I taught them about carbon copy paper. They didn't care much about the money part after that.

And this may seem odd to a lot of people, but tithing was probably the last Mormon thing I was mentally able to get rid of. I haven't paid in years because I'm a stay at home mom, but I had a really hard time shaking the idea that I wasn't obligated to give god my money by tithing to the church. I didn't even believe the church was true anymore, but tithing I just couldn't let go. That childhood indoctrination is strong.

[Rebel]

I wish I could teach the concept of Coc where you pay 10% on discretionary income that sounds a whole lot better to me !!! If I thought I could get away with it I would do it !!

[Anon70]

so I picked him up and hugged him and told him I was proud of him that he wanted to help Heavenly Father. I told him that Heavenly Father will be proud of him no matter how much he gives;

What a great dad.