Tuesday, 14 July 2009

• How Do You Teach Your Children God's Word?

    For Christian parents, often the central goal of their lives is to pass on their faith in Jesus Christ to their children.  This is often easier said than done.  It's difficult to talk to small children about matters of faith.  In some cases, children have the most innocent, beautiful faith and rarely doubt.  For other children, it can be difficult to believe in something they cannot perceive with the senses.
  
  From the youngest age, I was brought up in the faith.  My parents always brought me to church, even when I was too young to comprehend everything that was going on.  I remember having a children's Bible that explained Bible stories in simpler words alongside pictures.  I was always told that Jesus loved me, far more than I could imagine.  As I grew older, I learned more about this love He has for me. 
  
  I just read an article that offered "7 Ideas for Teaching Toddlers God's Word."
  Here's the list the author provides:
  

  1. Have an open Bible on your lap during story time. This reinforces where the story comes from—God's word.

  2. Use short sentences and few words. Too many words overwhelm young minds.

  3. Be animated in your facial expressions and tone of voice. This will help keep children engaged.

  3. Incorporate movement into the story and singing. Children this age need to move their bodies. Movement helps them learn and remember what you're teaching them.

  4. Create routines during the story/circle times by using songs, finger plays, etc.

  5. Use repetition to cement biblical concepts in children's hearts and minds.

  6. Keep it short and sweet. A story time of 5-10 minutes is the maximum children this age can attend to and sit for.
  

  What do you think of these tips for teaching children God's word? If you are a parent, what methods do you use to help your children understand your faith?  If you're not a parent, did your parents play any role in teaching you about the Christian faith? How did they go about doing it?
  
  

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