3 Steps to
Family Cultural Survival
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Why do you use stories from the Book of Mormon, in addition to the Bible?
The stories from the Book of Mormon are purely historical accounts from ancient American history. No doctrine. Simply character-building stories about epic heroes and worthy role models.
Some young adults have been taught for years in school that the Bible is not true. Did you know that the Book of Mormon actually supports and bears witness to the truthfulness of the Bible? For more information, click here.
2. I am not a member of the Mormon faith (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints). Can this program still work for me?
Absolutely. You don’t have to be a Mormon to enjoy the wealth of inspirational stories that:
a) Strengthen your child’s faith in the Savior Jesus Christ
b) Fortify the moral values you already believe in.
c) Prepare your child for future leadership by educating him or her on current events in the Judeo-Christian Worldview
3. Why is some of the vocabulary difficult?
Your children are probably steeped in slang from school, texting, and the media. However, the highest quality character education is based on classic literature. The vocabulary in the Bible, Book of Mormon and other classic literature—such as the United States Constitution, Federalist Papers, and literary fiction—can be challenging. C.A. Davidson’s book, Epic Stories, is designed to bridge the gap between the exalted diction of classic literature and the often sub-standard language we use daily. Great leaders in history were educated from classic literature. This character education program helps prepare your young adults with good character for leadership in the future.
Try these tips for managing vocabulary challenges.
1) Keep a dictionary by your dinner table. Get your children into the “Look it up” habit.
2) Use the word as a dinner topic. Some of the best dinner topics have come from study of dictionary definitions. Give rewards for those who use the word during the week.
3) For historic and character-based definitions, use the Noah Webster 1828 Dictionary.
4) Refer to the glossary in Davidson’s book, Epic Stories, p. 201
4. Can this program be adapted to different ages?
Yes. It is easy to read a story and retell it in your own words. You can start building character at age 3 or sooner. You may be surprised at how receptive, and perceptive, children can be. However, because there is a great wealth of material available for teaching values to young children, this program mainly targets young adults, who are more at risk of losing their faith and drifting from their moral anchor. For a monthly values-oriented magazine with stories and activities for children ages 3-12, click here.
visit the Friend magazine
5. Does this program adhere to a certain order? What if I skip a day—will I get lost?
No worries. The basic manual, Epic Stories, is arranged as a journey, and on your first time through, it is recommended that you proceed through the 5 steps shown. However, time and again you will find yourself referring back to different parts. Each story stands on its own, and you can certainly skip around as you desire.
Also, you may wish to tell a story one day, then follow up with discussion questions (Epic Stories p. 177) at another time. You may even want to spend a whole week on one story or topic, and use one question per day. (See also Dinner Talk online for more Dinner Talk Questions.)
6. If I have a bad day, or a bad week, how can I get back on track?
Welcome to Dinner Talk online, our daily online support, where you can log in to a massive Treasury of Great Quotes. Just bookmark the Great Quotes page, where the quotes are listed by topic, and when you’re in a pinch, grab an inspirational quote and presto! You have a great dinner topic for the day!
Your Dinner Talk Magazine editor, having normal family life herself, may take occasional days off, or a vacation now and then. But don’t panic. There is more material than you can ever use. Check past issues in the archives here, or take a break yourself and visit the Great Quotes page.
7. What is online support, and how do I access it?
At the “Dinner Talk Online” magazine, you will find the following.
1) Educational daily dinner topics from news and world events
2) Character Education Concepts: Dinner talk questions related to the daily topic *
3) Hundreds of Great Quotes *
4) Index to hundreds of dinner topics posted since April of 2010 * (Topical Index under construction. Monthly archives here.)
5) Bonus Topics *
6) Member updates for discounts on new products , and quantity discounts on Epic Stories *
*Subscribers only
For Dinner Talk online, mere pennies per day, subscribe here
8. Epic Stories for Character Education is about heroes from ancient history. How do I make this relevant to life today?
Welcome to Dinner Talk online. Dinner topics are selected from a wide variety of news and commentary sources. Subscribers have access to corresponding Dinner Talk Questions, which make character education principles relevant to modern issues, and educate young adults in the Judeo-Christian Worldview. Here are 3 examples.
History—connecting families to their heritage of liberty.
Current Events—showing in politics and morality the consequences of right and wrong choices.
Culture—topics on art, music, and literature.
Subscribe here to Dinner Talk online
9. How do I get started?
Start by gathering the family and eating dinner together every day. It’s something everyone can do—we all have to eat! (See here for the powerful benefits of this one simple act. You might be surprised. )
If you’re really brave, you’ll turn off the TV during dinner.
If you turn off the TV, what are you going to talk about? That’s where you’ll need Epic Stories, your basic character education manual.
Get your copy here for only $11.50.
To subscribe to Dinner Talk online, click here.
10. For quantity discounts on Epic Stories for Character Education, or for any other questions,
see contact information here.
Contact Christine A. Davidson at
christine@epicworld.net