Bit jumbled regarding FN & FHE

[Bini]

Growing up my family did Family Nights/Family Home Evenings but it's been many years and I need a refresher. First, is FN and FHE the same thing? I just don't remember if the two are interchangeable with each other.. Also, do either activities only count if there is an Ensign or scripture read (aka lesson taught)? My husband and I are re-learning the ropes on this. If reading the Ensign or scripture is not necessary for FN or FHE, then, is going out for ice-cream and a movie (or the likes) sufficient as long as the family is interacting together?

[Anddenex]

These are great questions Bini.

Honestly, I believe FN and FHE are interchangeable. FHE is a family night. Yet, FHE connotates a religious tone, thus a lesson before an activity is usually the emphasis.

FHE is a time parents have the opportunity to teach their children the gospel, how a parent decides to teach a lesson, is solely up to the parents. There is no requirements regarding a lesson needs to be from the scriptures, or Ensigns.

If parents are only going out for ice-cream or a movie then technically this is where FN and FHE are not interchangeable. The Church has a Family Home Evening Resource Book, and the Primary Nursery Manual is also an excellent source for lessons.

Here is a great article from President Gordon B. Hinckley regarding Family Home Evening.

[Guest]

Bini, FHE is different from FN due to the spiritual aspect of it. You can, of course, hold FHE at the ice-cream parlor. We do this a lot (not necessarily the ice-cream parlor but places such as restaurants, beach, and such). We're not always using Ensign/Scriptures for FHE. A lot of our spiritual talks are testimonies of this and that, Q&A about things the kids are wanting to know about, and addressing things of family concern - like how to deal with middle school girls from an eternal prespective... Yes, we're known for holding FHE from the seat of our pants - start talking and see where it goes.

[Vort]

Growing up my family did Family Nights/Family Home Evenings but it's been many years and I need a refresher. First, is FN and FHE the same thing? I just don't remember if the two are interchangeable with each other.. Also, do either activities only count if there is an Ensign or scripture read (aka lesson taught)? My husband and I are re-learning the ropes on this. If reading the Ensign or scripture is not necessary for FN or FHE, then, is going out for ice-cream and a movie (or the likes) sufficient as long as the family is interacting together?

"Family night" is what we always called it growing up. I think it's the same thing as "Family home evening", but the latter term emphasizes "home". It's all about building love at home.

I think the occasional movie night out is appropriate, but I would never want to replace FHE with a standing family date night. FHE is too important, with singing and praying together and having a spiritual lesson. Short lessons are fine, probably preferable to long ones. Ten minutes is probably more than long enough, especially for FHEs with small children.

When I think of the family nights I knew growing up, what I remember was the fun of getting together as a family, with everyone having a job (song, prayer, popcorn, lesson, whatever). I know we went to movies occasionally (rarely -- we didn't really have the money to go out to movies as a family very often), but the "meat and potatoes" of our family night was to gather in the living room and have a lesson. Dad and Mom didn't always do the lesson, either; in fact, it was pretty evenly spread around for everyone.