? for Christian mamas

[staceyshoe]

I'm wondering what resources you use to train/guide your child's spiritual development? Any books, websites, church programs, etc? Right now I'm trying to check out a lot of resources and figure out our approach. Would love to hear what works for you!

[hopefulfaith]

Google/YouTube "Seeds Family Worship" -- their music has been great for my kids (and for me!). My two are only four and three, so they don't understand all of the music/words yet, but we listen to a CD while we're eating/cleaning up from meals, and it's amazing how much they do get. I'm sure it will only increase as they get older.

Also, we have a number of bibles in various formats -- toddler boardbook ones, picture ones, etc. My son is really getting into them...not because he is so holy, but because there are a lot of soldiers and flaming swords and the like involved. I figure it's a start.

My kids come to church with us, and I insist they stay in with us until the sermon. They leave and go and do a craft, etc., with a woman in the church, which they love -- it's usually biblically-centered, and it's really funny to hear the kids get so excited because "SHE knows the SAME STORIES as YOU, MOM!" That has really helped cement a lot of stories and such - hearing them from me/dh, but also hearing them from an outside source that they trust.

[Bluegoat]

We have a number of kids books with stories from the Bible - I also need to look out for a few about saints, I remember having a lovely book about St Francis as a child.

At home, we also regularly do grace, bedtime prayers, etc. I think the stories and little habits are the most important home teaching for a child my daughter's age, which is 4. She knows a few different graces, and we are going to start learning the Lord's prayer next.

At our church, school age kids stay from the beginning to the sermon, and then return for communion, with Sunday School in between. It is a good program with a four year cycle - Year 1 based on the Catechism from the BCP and feasts and festivals of the Church year; 2 based on the Prayer Book lectionary; 3 notable people and events in Scripture; 4 - significant figures in Christian history.

My plan is to follow a similar pattern at home once she begins Sunday School and build on what they are doing there- she went once this year but wanted to come back to Nursery Church, and since sending her was a bit of an experiment that was fine.

Our nursery church is a bit more casual, it's only 10 to 15 minutes and who is there varies a fair bit. Most young kids can't sit all the way through our long service, and the church isn't well designed for a roaming toddler because the parents can't easily see him or her.

[sbgrace]

I've purchased and used lots over the years. My favorite has been Heart of Dakota Little Hands to Heaven for a preschool bible program. It takes the child through the bible one story at a time. It's sweet with hands on activities to make the stories come alive. The website allows you to print a week's sample to see if you like it.

The Beginner's Bible written by Karyn Henley and illustrated by Dennas Davis is really, really terrific for bible stories. I had to get it second hand as they no longer print it and in fact a book by the same title (different author than Karyn Henley, spelled that way exactly) is available.
Also, Read-Aloud Bible Stories (there are four volumes) by Ella K. Lindvall are really great--the pictures and the way the words are written really captures little kids.

You can think of neat activities or go online to find them to go with the stories. So if you're reading about the crossing of the Red Sea you can put blankets on the floor and reinact the story complete with parting the sea (blankets) so you can march across. When you read the story of Jesus healing the man at the pool you can have a bowl of water and act out stirring it up. You can make a playdough reinactment of a story, make a painting, etc. If you've already done a program like Heart of Dakota you will find that easier as you have experience with what will make bible stories come alive for kids.

But really observing parents who are following God and showing it in their actions/words/habits is the most important thing. Nurture your own relationship with God. If hubby is also living that sort of life it helps so much. Pray for your kids and their spiritual growth. We can plant and water but God makes the seed grow!

Oh, I forgot The Singing Bible by Tyndale is a four set CD of songs about stories throughout the bible. It's really great!

[lilyka]

I don;'t really use any curriculum or anything. I take them to church with me (in our church children worship along side the adults), I pray with them, we discuss doctrine and scripture, and our family reading is often about the lives of saints and such.

[anjanetteopal]

Great book that I've actually read: "Shepherding a Child's Heart" by Tedd Tripp

Series that has been recommended that I haven't done (my son is almost 2) is the Young Peacemaker cirriculum. It's for 3rd-7th graders but I know lots of parents who have gone through it earlier. Our church is doing the adult study atm.

Read the Word. It's living and active. They need to hear it firsthand.

[genifer]

I cant recommend any books even tho Ive been 'doing this' for 11 years, lol. We've never been able to afford lots of books, materials on subjects like this or any subject really! lol and libraries in the places Ive lived have been very limited with this sort of thing. I used to kind of fret about it and say 'Lord!! what am I supposed to do to teach these kids about you!!' Then it dawned on me that I needed to know as much about God and the bible as possible so I can teach them, just discuss these things with them. I 'do it' as situations arise kind of the way Jesus himself did it. Kind of like following His example. They know what I know simply bc I learn it and talk about it ALL the time! lol. I also pray that we all grow in His wisdom and grace and the knowledge of Him as we grow 'up' together. I became a christian just before I was pregnant with my 10 yo twins and I always prayed that we would grow up together. Now, when we are studying together, they can sometimes blow me away with the way the Lord teaches them, what they come out with. I see them growing in His grace.

This is how Ive done it. I believe its the way the Lord wanted it to be for us. We're all different tho

[kgianforti]

Originally Posted by staceyshoe

I'm wondering what resources you use to train/guide your child's spiritual development? Any books, websites, church programs, etc? Right now I'm trying to check out a lot of resources and figure out our approach. Would love to hear what works for you!

Simple - the Bible and PRAYER!!!!

[TzippityDoulah]

we don't have a method we follow. we have devotions and prayer every evening. and of course before meals. and we talk a lot about our faith in every day life and situations. I think the every day is always better way to learn in general than book learning everything.

for devos we just find things we like and use them and switch them around for variety. right now it's an old book fromthe 1960's I had when I was a kid. we aso like a book series called "a hive of busy bees" that focus on good virtues.

and of course church.