You can use family home evenings to teach more than just gospel messages. One idea that might be fun is to teach your children to have good table manners by having a fancy dinner night. This can be as simple or as extravagant as you choose to make it. You may want to plan several different courses for the night. You can set your table with china or nice dishes. You should try to set the table with more than one fork and spoon, so your children can learn about starting to use the utensils on the outside and working in.
You can share different stories and ideas throughout the night in between courses. You may want to use this roller box story on manners from “The Friend.” This idea list gives suggestions on improving manners. You can also share favorite stories or poems. You may ask each of your children to come prepared to share their favorite scripture story. Be sure that you still begin and end with a prayer.
In order to make this night truly memorable you may want to have your children dress in their best clothes. You can also dim the lights, and use candles to light the dinner table. You need to remember to keep the tone positive and upbeat. It is a time to teach by example, rather than by criticizing. Before you sit down at the table you may want to review the basic etiquette rules you want your children to follow.
If you are teaching a family home evening of mainly adults, you can still have a nice dinner. You may want to have the dinner be potluck. You can also discuss the article “The Home as an Educational Institution,” as a group. The focus can be more on the social aspect this week, though you will still want to include a spiritual message at some point during the evening.