Just got a new church calling...

[BigFatMeanie]

We just moved in to a new ward and I am the lucky recipient of a sweet new church calling: teaching 6 year olds in Primary. What makes this so great is that I get to team-teach with my wife. This means that my wife gets to teach Primary and I get to sit there and crack jokes and color when its coloring time and eat treats when it is treat time. This past week we made cool name tags with our names spelled out with alphabet stickers. I made a kick-butt Brother Meanie nametag with lightning bolt stickers and everything.

Man, I'm so glad I got a good calling like this. The benefits are fantastic:
- No reponsibility
- Don't have to attend Priesthood or Sunday School
- Get to have treats with the kids
- Get to sing Popcorn Popping and Once There Was a Snowman during singing time

Way better than having to do something sucky like Ward Missionary. Man, I just hope I can fly under the radar for a couple years so I can keep a cakewalk calling like this.

[RC Vikings]

I just got released after four years in the primary and it is a great calling. The kids are great and fun to be around. The only problem I had with it was that sharing/singing time seemed to last forever. Enjoy while you are there.

[Detroitdad]

Teaching primary is like pulling teeth for me. In the wards where I have done it the kids have been terribly behaved and annoying. I don't hold any carrots or sticks over them either so it puts me at a disadvantage. I am always glad to not be in primary or nursery.

[BigFatMeanie]

Originally Posted by RC Vikings

I just got released after four years in the primary and it is a great calling. The kids are great and fun to be around. The only problem I had with it was that sharing/singing time seemed to last forever. Enjoy while you are there.

I love singing time. I belted out Once There Was a Snowman in my deep basso voice. I even melted down to the ground with the rest of the kids during the "in the sun he melted" part. Sharing time was an obstacle course that we got to try doing blindfolded (I think the gospel message underlying it was something about faith or the Holy Ghost or something like that - I wasn't paying much attention). Way more fun than discussing how we should be magnifying our callings as Home Teachers during Priesthood Meeting; however, I can see how it might get old after four years.

Any calling would get old after four years. I subscribe to the "release the RS presidency and EQ presidency each year" way of doing things like they do in the student wards at BYU. Variety is the spice of life!

[BigFatMeanie]

Originally Posted by Detroitdad

Teaching primary is like pulling teeth for me. In the wards where I have done it the kids have been terribly behaved and annoying. I don't hold any carrots or sticks over them either so it puts me at a disadvantage. I am always glad to not be in primary or nursery.

Trying to do it without bribery would be difficult indeed.

My technique is to set the treat out on the table at the beginning of class and let them know that they can have the treat at the end if they are good during class. You definitely have to stand your ground and not let them have the treats when they've been rowdy. Otherwise they'll walk all over you.

Come on Detroit - bribing someone elses kids to be good is the American way! Of course, I don't use bribery at home with my own kids - I just kick their butts when they don't do what I want (they don't call me the Big Fat Meanie for nothing!). I don't have the "kick their butts" option with other people's kids so bribery gives me the most bang for my buck.

[cougjunkie]

Still doesnt beat scout committee member. You meet once a month for 30 minutes. It is cake.

[The_Tick]

12 straight years of YM.

Eat me.

[jay santos]

I love Primary. Singing and sharing time does get old. But if you have one of the older classes you can spend the time with them making fun of the music leader or primary presidency member giving the sharing time. Works even better if that person happens to be your wife.

I believe all primary and young men's/women's callings should be staffed using parents of the kids in the class. This is a very strong opinion of mine. Why waste your time with other people's kids when you could be serving your own kids and developing relationships with their friends?

[BigFatMeanie]

Originally Posted by The_Tick

12 straight years of YM.

Eat me.

12 years??? Brother, I feel for you. Did you consider asking to be released? Nobody could say you didn't put in your time.

[Jeff Lebowski]

You lucked out, BFM. Mike told me my new job as YM Pres would be "mainly administrative". Hah!! Three hours yesterday. Two and a half tonight. And Round Table tomorrow. Argh....