Divide "Reverence" Into Different Lessons

• LDS.org, the homepage of the LDS Church, suggests dividing the topic of reverence into a handful of different lessons meant to be taught on different weeks. Hold a "reverence series" of family home evenings. Include lessons on what reverence means, why it is important to be reverent at church and in other holy places such as the temple and even the home, and how to show reverence. Focusing on a different aspect of reverence in each lesson will allow you and your family to discuss the topic in more detail.
  
  

Set an Example

• Some younger children may not understand what it really means to be reverent. Start by teaching them how to be reverent at home in your family home evening. Show young children how to fold their arms, hold still and listen to the lesson. Let them know that reverence isn't simply being quiet. It is showing love and respect to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. Encourage them to actively listen and participate in lessons and show them that paying attention is part of reverence as well. Then let them know that the church is the House of the Lord, and that it is important to practice reverence at church. On Sunday, be the example and fold your own arms, listen to the speakers and encourage your children to do the same.
  
  

List Ways to Be Reverent

• At your family home evening, set up a blackboard or a poster board to write down a list of ways that children can show reverence at church. Ask them for their own ideas and suggest others, such as thinking of Jesus during the Sacrament, reading along with their teachers in their scriptures during Sunday school, not running in the hallways, and talking in low voices. Display the board in your home for the next week and encourage your children to try to do all of these things the next Sunday. At your next family home evening, ask them to report on how they were reverent in church and how they felt when they were showing reverence.
  
  

Include Scriptures, Hymns and Stories About Reverence

• When you start your family home evening, sing a hymn about reverence. Invite a family member to pray and remind him to ask Heavenly Father to help them be reverent during family home evening. Another family member can read a scripture, give a thought or tell a story that relates to reverence. Use these examples to lead into your lesson about reverence. You can even give one of your children a chance to prepare and teach the lesson (with help from you, if needed), so that you and your family can get a child's perspective on what it means to be reverent at church. This will also help your child learn and think about the topic more closely. When you close your family home evening, invite the family member giving the prayer to ask Heavenly Father to help the family remember what they learned about reverence and to help them be reverent in church the next week.