What's it worth?

To foster an appreciation of the love of our parents, who give without expecting anything in return, and a realization that sometimes we tend to take things for granted.

by Laurence Chilcott

Suitable for Key Stage 2

Aims

To foster an appreciation of the love of our parents, who give without expecting anything in return, and a realization that sometimes we tend to take things for granted.

Preparation and materials

• None required.

Assembly

1. Ask the children to tell you what jobs they do around the house – do they do them grudgingly or willingly? Do they expect payment for them?
2. Read or tell the following story:
   
   Edward had an idea. His pocket money wasn’t going quite as far as it used to and he had a plan to make a little bit extra. Over the past week he had been pretty helpful, and as his mum paid Mrs Harris to clean the house every week, why shouldn’t he get paid for all his efforts?
   
   Before he went to school on Monday he put his plan into action. He thought about all the jobs he’d done over the past week, then tore a page out of his notebook, and carefully wrote the following:
   
   Running to the shop to get milk – 20p
   Posting an important letter for you on Friday – 20p
   Looking after the baby every day while you prepared tea – £1
   Helping to take the washing off the line when it started to rain – 20p
   Keeping my bedroom tidy for the week – £1
   Taking all our newspapers to the recycling bin – 50p
   Total: £3.10
   
   Edward carefully signed his name and placed the note under his pillow, knowing that his mother couldn’t fail to see it because she always changed his bed on Monday. With a smile on his face he bounced down the stairs and sat at the table to eat his breakfast.
   
   ‘Morning Ed,’ said his mum. ‘You look cheerful this morning – what’s up?’
   
   Edward wasn’t really a morning person and it was a nice change for him not to start the day complaining.
   
   ‘Nothing Mum. I just feel it’s going to be a good day today,’ he said.
   
   There was a spring in his step as he left the house and set off to school. He found it quite hard to concentrate in school that day and rushed home quickly as soon as the bell went. Racing upstairs he dived into his bedroom and reached under his pillow. Sure enough – there, wrapped up in the note he had written that morning, he found three shiny pound coins and a ten pence piece. ‘Wow!’ he said to himself. ‘I’m going to be even more helpful this week.’
   
   Just as he put his pillow back on the bed he noticed another piece of paper neatly folded on the bed. Slowly he opened it out and read the following:
   
   Sitting up all night with you when you had measles – nothing
   Visiting you in hospital when you had your tonsils out – nothing
   Comforting you whenever you were hurt or upset – nothing
   Going without a new winter coat so that you could stay away with Cubs for a weekend – nothing
   Helping you when you couldn’t do your homework – nothing
   Feeding, clothing, loving and caring for you every day for nine years – nothing
   Total – nothing
   
   There were tears in Edward’s eyes by the time he had read to the end. He didn’t need to read the signature, but it was signed ‘Mum’. Suddenly the money didn’t seem very important and he realized just how thoughtless he had been. That was the last bill he ever gave to his mother, and from then on he was even more willing to help around the house. He would often say, ‘Thanks, Mum, that was a smashing dinner,’ or ‘Is there anything I can do to help you?’
   
   His mum never mentioned his note or the one she had left, but she certainly noticed how much more thoughtful and grateful Edward had become.
3. Ask the children how they think Edward felt when he read the note from his mother?
   
   Compare his mother’s love to the love of Jesus (mention other notable people here), who did not count the cost – but gave himself in love to others.
4. Discuss whether pocket money should be a right or earned.

Time for reflection

Think of the person who cares for you – think about all the good things they do for you. Think of how you could show them how much you appreciate it.

Prayer
We thank you for our parents and all who care for us.
Help us to be grateful and appreciate all they do.
Sometimes we do not think and can hurt and upset them –
forgive us when we do so,
and help us to be kind and caring.
May we be ready to say thank you when we know they have been kind to us.
Amen.

Song/music

‘Think of a world’ (Come and Praise, 17)