In our household we get LDS General Conference through the DISH NETWORK as TV channel 9403 (KBYU). Further, we have an attached FM transmitter that broadcasts the sound signal of the talks to every radio in the house. This technique allows our children to do a little roaming around the house – for such needs as bathroom, snack breaks, looking out of the windows, etc.
I don't mind too much when they do this, because there is no way to avoid hearing the talks. Practically every room has a radio that is tuned-in.
My theory is that mere exposure has some effect, even when they are not paying full attention. I decided to test my theory using my most inattentive child (Son#3, age 14).
After the last session of Conference, I sat down with Son#3 and was granted the following interview (while I took notes):
Dad: Name three principles you learned in Conference.
Son#3: Dad, is this going into your blog?
Dad: Yes.
Son#3: Oh, man, talking about pressure. Three principles? Ah… love God. Ah… how many do I got?
Dad: One.
Son#3: Ah… love your parents. Ah … parents should love their children. Is that three?
Dad: Yes. Pretty good. OK, describe one theological concept that you learned in Conference.
Son#3: Ah… what's theological? Ah… I got one. Do not submit to porn.
Dad: OK, that was more like a commandment and not something we learned about God, but I will accept it. What did the speakers teach about the temple?
Son#3: Ah… it's a House of God and a place of love and beauty.
Dad: Excellent. Who gave your favorite talk, and what did he talk about?
Son#3: Richard G. Scott.
Dad. Excellent. What did he say that caught your attention?
Son#3: I liked how he talked about his children's deaths, but also he talked about the importance of moving on in life.
Dad: Wow. What did President Monson teach?
Son#3: Resist porn.
Dad: Good enough for me. Clearly, the porn issue has sunk in. Where was Conference held? [We live in the Midwest.]
Son#3: In the Conference Center in Missouri. Ah… April Fools… Salt Lake City.
Dad. What was the name of the new apostle?
Son#3: Ah… David… ah… Brother …. It begins with an "A."
Dad [hinting]: And……
Son#3: Anderson. David Anderson.
Dad: Good, but its Neil Anderson.
Son#3: Wow, I got it right.
Dad: Last question. What kind of car does President Monson drive?
Son#3: A Prius? A Porsche?
Dad: No. He drives a "Church" car. Actually, someone else drives him most of the time.
Well, after the interview I was a satisfied Dad. Son#3's answers were not as random as I feared. His answers (although having a few errors) demonstrated that he had associated good teachings with Conference. I was proud of him. Clearly, he would NOT be as confused as some of the demonstrators outside of Temple Square who evidently think Conference promotes evil. Son#3 at age 14 might not yet be ready to go on a mission, but at least he is learning the right kind of stuff.
CONCLUSION: Watching Conference with young teens, even if they are talking, eating, burping, smelling their arm pits, making digs at siblings, looking out the window, and staring at the ceiling from a reclined position on the floor is BETTER than NOT watching Conference at all. Thank you KBYU.
Copyright 2008 S.Faux (Email: foxgoku54 [at] gmail [d0t] c0m; URL: http://mormoninsights.blogspot.com). Readers may distribute this post for noncommercial purposes provided such distributing is of the entire post, including author's copyright and contact information. All other rights reserved.
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10 comments:
I feel like I have to defend Son #3, he was not smelling his armpits!!! ...
Well, that was pretty funny. Thanks Dad.
C. Faux (son #2)
I am really impressed!
No only will son #3 submit to questions to be posted on your blog
but
son #2 actually reads and comments on your blog!
You are doing something right!!!
(and although my comments may sound a bit facetious - I mean them as a sincere compliment!)
Templework:
Thanks. Yes, I like to brag up my sons. All of them are great. What we have done right is raise them in the Church, push education, allow them some freedom, and pray a lot ... and I mean a lot.
To be fair--couldn't your son have given the same answers to most of those questions after any given conference session, and he'd still be right? See also: "Conference Bingo" for kids.
Anonymous:
What are you, some kind of scientist? Why does there always have to be skeptics who believe in things like "control groups" and "control conditions." The next thing you will asking me to have done is a pre-test, in order to determine if there is a difference between the pre-test and the post-test.
Whoops! Oh, yeah. I make a living doing such things. Sorry, I take that all back.
Yeah, I thought the same thing. They could be guesses by a reasonably smart kid. Hard to go wrong. Serve others, obey the commandments, pray, missionary work, pay tithing, all basic concepts. However, just having the quiz means he probably stops and thinks about if he does remember anything that was taught, and shows what he thinks might have been taught based on what he does remember of the conference. Good exercise overall.
Anonymous#2:
Hard to go wrong?
Hmmm, I thought my son's answers were cute.
It never occurred to me that readers would think I was attempting a serious evaluation.
He's a 14 year old. Humor me.
Hi-LAR-ious! I love it! You're doing something right! In about 4 or 5 years he will be taking notes! I'm sure of it!
I know son #3 will appreciate much more a few years from now what you are trying to accomplish with your little quiz. Just getting a 14 year old to think about some of the concepts raised in General Conference even a few moments after the fact is a major accomplishment. I think he'll always remember this conference because you featured him on your blog. Ah, happy memories!
Nice to hear from you, Tim.
But, in the context of this essay, it is also nice to hear from someone who has raised a teen and who knows the importance of the "little" successes.
Son#3 is 14 years old, and maybe his answers did not impress all the commentators, but I am JUST GLAD Son#3 appreciates the importance of Conference, and he really does. Deep knowledge can take a back seat for awhile.
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