Note to parent or teacher: Here’s a 30-minute lesson plan on the importance of diligence and going slow enough to do things right the first time.

Read “Have Patience.” After reading this story, have the children think of times when they’ve either gone too fast and what the consequence was of doing so, or a time that they followed a check to do things more accurately and deliberately, investing the time needed to get it right, and the good they saw come from it. You can also share some personal age-appropriate examples from your own life.

Read “Yuichi’s Garden,” or “How Emma Met Suzy.” Discuss how when we take the time to do things right, our mommies and daddies trust us with more.

Read “Linking Lionel”; the children can color “Coloring Page: Linking Lionel” as you read.

Discuss how the things that your children are expected to do are important. Talk about what would happen if they neglected to do their chores or did a poor job at them.

Read “Bright Pebbles: With Jesus’ Help.” Discuss how even though it might be difficult at first to learn to do things the right way, Jesus can help us establish good habits of diligence and faithfulness.

Memorize Philippians 4:13.

Additional material:

• My Weekly Chore Chart
• Read “The Hare and the Tortoise.”
• Color “Coloring Pages: The Hare and the Tortoise.”