Thought for the day: You are enough!
What that means is, you don’t have to do it all! I hear of people being overwhelmed and tired and feeling like there is so much information that they will not ever be able to read it all much less incorporate it into their music times.
To quote Elder Uchtdorf, “Stop it!”
Stop feeling like you aren’t doing enough! Stop feeling like you have to do every cute idea on this group and the other group! Stop feeling like you have to spend a huge amount of time creating a time capsule or football game or some other creative game or activity!
Our job isn’t to entertain. Our job is to engage. Engage the children in learning. Engage the children in activities that teach, that help them feel the spirit, and that help their behavior and abilities.
Scale back. Do creative things occasionally if you like, but you don’t have to make every single activity Pinterest-worthy. Realize the real reason you are there. You are the Gospel Doctrine teacher for the children. What they learn there is what they will remember for decades. Trust me on this. I taught college students at BYU-Idaho for several years. They DO remember the Primary songs they were taught!
Use simpler activities. Scarves and thread spools and rhythm sticks and melody maps are great. So is directed listening – it’s very effective, very reverent, and it engages the children just like the other activities. Just use arm motions. Let them mirror each other’s actions. That takes almost no prep time, it gets the children moving, and you can squeeze a few repetitions out of that activity. And there are many more you can do that work great without adding stress to your week.
Primary music really doesn’t have to take a ton of time or money or anything. Your love for the children and for the gospel is what they need the most. They need to hear your one-sentence testimonies more than they need to be entertained.
I suggest keeping a list of low-prep activities in your Primary bag. You never know when you will need them. Everyone has busy weeks! The fact that you are there in front of them every week is enough.
You are enough.