Let me lead with the fact: I’m no expert when it comes to parenting. And, I’ll never use this platform to convince you otherwise. But, this morning, I had a moment – being intentional with my toddler is paying off in introducing bible conversations in our everyday actions.
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As I type these words, he is sitting in a chair watching TV while I get some computer work done at my counter (see I’m not an expert parent). We have been potty training around here for the last two weeks so we have had lots of extra time together. Read, mama has been tethered to a plastic potty and the candy corn rewards.
About a month ago, I was really convicted during a moment similar to the one I’m experiencing. We have books out everywhere. I wanted my kid to have access to books because they are supposed to make him smarter and I want a smart kid. There, I said it. But, he had opened a Nursery Rhyme book we were gifted for his first birthday and he was “reading” the book to himself. What that really meant was by pictures he was singing the rhymes we had been reading at night. So, it was working.
And, I should enter that my mom who is a preschool teacher and has been for the last 4 decades spent most of the month of July with us and he was instantly more capable and had learned many things during their time together. She just has a natural way with kids and can teach him something in a few hours that it takes us a month to master. But, she’s a mom, and a grandma, and a magical preschool teacher and I’m just glad she is mine.
But, as I listed to him “read” to himself and remember the nursery rhymes, I noticed that his Preschool Bible sat on the table next to him as well. It was not the first book he wanted to pick up. And, as he flipped through it, he could not recite the stories or characters in the same way.
As much as I have been intentional to put books out and make sure they are part of naptime and bedtime routine, I had not used the same intention to expose him to the stories of the Bible and the truths of God’s Word. And, as his parent, that’s on me.
This is especially important for us right now while we are not attending in person church and his teachers are not going through their themes and lessons with him. So, I knew I had to own that. I had to be his Sunday School teacher and I had to introduce him to the truths and lessons of the Bible ifI expect them to be things he knows and has hidden in his heart.
Check out some of my other tips for toddlers.
So, I made a plan.
- I bought a new Toddler Bible that we could have for bedtime stories – I have several childrens bibles and even books of individual stories. But, at his age he will not sit and listen to 8 pages with 80 words on each page. He needs it short and concise and I can do some of that on the fly, but I like reading his Bible together. And, he was so proud of his new Bible. He spelt with it for a couple nights and cuddled it like his stuffed animals. I tried to blink that image in my memory to always cling to God’s Words in that way.
- I bought 2 Bible Curriculum books for toddlers and a sticker activity book instead of all the dollar store characters I usually pick. Instant Bible Lessons for Preschoolers and Top 50 Bible Lessons for Preschoolers. And , I found the Crafty Classroom who has incredible FREE printables.
- I made a plan to use some of my moms curriculum and focus on a Bible story each month
- We’ve also added this God Made Me Special book to the mix of our regular books – I like that it talks about kids being different, more than color of skin although its one of the topics, but it covers handicaps and countries, ethnicities, and body shape. So many things I want him to know now make us different but make us special. And, I want him to know those differences were created by God and to others, he is different too.
- Started singing the same songs in different rhythms. We have added some songs to our bedtime routine. I had a little song I made up when Little Man was a baby and its a calming song but he knows it now and when he goes to bed each night he wants to sing together. So, we sing Jesus Loves Me, Jesus Loves the Little Children, The BIBLE, Amazing Grace and EIEIO. Then, throughout the day I’ve added some songs that my mom taught us.
God made me.
God made me.
God made everything and
God made me.
(to the tune of Hot Cross Buns)
When I started writing you these words, he had his little Bible open and was singing God made me and Jesus loves me this I know. They were mixed in with “stop and go right away” by Daniel Tiger, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, and a theatrical rendition of ABCs. But, he knew the words and I feel so confident he is beginning to absorb the message of those words.
Last week, we spent each day of our potty training week tackling a day of Creation. Some days our “school time” was 5 minutes and sometimes I had to keep adding activities. We took a nature walk to look at the flowers, plants and trees on Day 3. We played with shaving cream on the counter for Day 2 when God made the clouds and the seas. And, we fingerpainted with animals on Day 6.
I share all of this to say – hey I don’t have it figured out. I’m winging it every day and changing courses when I find a new tool. But, I’ve learned a valuable lesson this month – my intention with my kid makes a big impact.
my intention with my kid makes a big impact.
As his parents, its our responsibility to be his encourager and trainer and discipler. I often tell people the only goal I have in life right now is to raise a brave, kind, God-fearing Little Man and that’s the only thing I can consistently commit to.
We weren’t going to talk about Noah until the spring when we cover rain and rainbows, but given the fact that he keeps lining up all his animals and opens the Bible to the animal page and says Noah, I think its time touch on that. But its just a simple thing to talk about how Noah obeyed God and took animals on the big boat called an ark and God protected them. And, when they saw the rainbow, they knew that God keeps His promises.
And, that’s it.
Hang in there. Give yourself grace. And remember we are all just figuring it out each day. But, with repetition and consistency, they will finally get it.
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