Leaders in the church who educate children about God are vital to families. Each week, these Sunday school teachers, children’s pastors, or youth ministers pour into the lives of children who aren’t theirs. They present the gospel in ways that captivate children and help make the word of God meaningful. Scripture memorization, prayer life, and foundations of our faith are solidified by these leaders in our church. They are invaluable.
For many of us, these church leaders are presently not in our children’s lives, due to crowd restrictions with COVID-19. The spiritual role the church normally fills with children is unavailable. Parents who desire to see the spiritual development continue must do so on their own.
I have been thinking about the guidance I typically give at work and how it may apply to parents in this new role. As a pediatric speech language pathologist, I often advise parents on how to help their toddler with language delays. Sure, the parent could sit down every day for an hour with flashcards, books, and learning toys. However, it’s not often feasible or really necessary.
There are many ways to develop language incidentally. Learning vocabulary can naturally occur during everyday activities that are meaningful to the child. For example, during meals, a parent can teach food vocabulary by taking a moment to tell the child what foods are on their plate and comment on how it looks or tastes.
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With this in mind, faith and understanding about God can occur naturally, if a parent takes a few small steps. Yes, a parent can develop a Bible lesson with review questions and a scripture poster for their child. This, however, may not be completely necessary. I would like to offer these suggestions:
1. Mention God in your conversations.
Think about how often you talk about God in your everyday life, and try to increase it. You can openly give thanks to God when something wonderful happens in your life. When you hear some distressing news, remind your child that God is someone to turn to in difficulties. If you see a positive trait or ability in your child, tell them it is God-given, and reinforce the idea that they were created for a purpose. At first these statements may sound forced, but it will become more natural. There are plenty of ways to talk about God in our everyday lives if we change our vocabulary slightly.
2. Pray out loud.
You may have more opportunities at home now to openly pray with your children. Bedtime prayers and mealtime prayers cannot be underestimated. They set up patterns in our lives and reinforce the idea that talking to God is necessary and important. If you are home more now, you may want to add in a special time of family prayer to address things going on due to changes in routines. Encourage children to pray out loud to the best of their ability. If a child is nonverbal, hold their hands to give them a physical cue that talking in prayer to God is different from other times.
3. Use resources around you.
YouTube is filled with quality videos of Bible accounts and worship songs for children. Videos are no substitute for what you may say, but they reinforce ideas you are teaching. You may want to listen to music that glorifies God while preparing a meal or exercising, as another way of adding in connections to God. There are a few Bible apps designed for children that provide a fun way to learn scriptures. The internet is filled with many printable activities that can be used if you want to do something more structured. Of course, the Bible is a great resource too! If your child has special needs, you may want to focus on a particular scripture rather than an entire chapter to help with their understanding.
When the church isn’t accessible, it may feel like there is a greater responsibility on parents. It is my hope and prayer that this can be a time for parents to bring God into their everyday life in small but more frequent ways to make a big impact.
Evana is a wife and mother of two children. Since becoming a parent, Evana has spent many hours driving to specialty appointments, praying beside a hospital bed, and learning about her children’s diagnoses. Evana is also a pediatric speech-language pathologist and serves children with autism, feeding disorders, and other developmental delays. You can connect with Evana on Twitter, Facebook, and her blog, A Special Purposed Life. You can also read more about her family’s story in her book, Badges of Motherhood: One Mother’s Story about Family, Down syndrome, Hospitals, and Faith.
