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Offer specific reassurance when kids fear dying
"Even more desirable than being able to die peacefully is being able to live fearlessly."—Dr. Alex Lickerman. Fear, worry and anxiety are so complex in their origins and in the ways each of us manages these emotions best for ourselves. But as adults, we can adapt and...
Spiritual perspectives on our children’s fear of dying
I wrote a recent blog about children's fear of dying. In response to that entry, a reader wrote me about the specific way school shootings play into that fear. She wrote: I think if a child asks a parent about dying these days, it is likely to be a fear of dying at...
Teen spirituality: Faith and Doubt night
One of our Christian readers shares a teen-centered idea. The same format could be adapted to any cultural or religious style. Faith and Doubt Night "We have a relatively small youth group... maybe 10 high school aged kids if everyone shows up. Faith and Doubt Night...
Comfort for a child’s fear of dying
When I was about 11, I went to my mother in tears about my fear of dying. And my fear of my dad or mom dying. Her conversation on that warm summer afternoon stays with me to this day. Indestructible until my work is finished My mother's sacred text of choice was the...
Questions we pose to children, we should ask ourselves too
Today's challenge is prompted by a reader's feedback about my new book, Child-Centered Spirituality. He wrote, "While I was reading some of the pointers, affirmations and discussion questions for parents to use with their kids – I was struck by the fact that I really...
Grandparents as spiritual guides for their family
To a culture increasingly entertained (or disgusted) by its own superficiality, the role of grandparents as spiritual guides seems like a good use of one's later years. Who better to draw young family members into deeper life issues than their most credible,...
Parents work a puzzle of how kids develop character
I love a word puzzle or quiz that comes with the answers at the bottom of the column, sometimes upside down --- A. What is the name of the highest mountain in Africa? B. What is the largest brass instrument in an orchestra? * A question I puzzle over as I engage...
Sacrifice something? Try and make me.
“Sacrifice focuses on a goal. Deprivation focuses on poor me. Sacrifice lifts my head and lets me see the big picture. Deprivation turns my eyes inward so I see nothing but myself.” (Mary Hunt) A reader in our blog community passed these thoughts along with a note:...
Grandparenting to the 3rd and 4th generation
A friend of mine told me how he stepped up his grandparenting last January. He said, "I began writing a weekly letter to my grandkids (five live in Australia and two live in California). My main purpose is to tell them that I love them. I also share something about...
My most important lesson from teaching anger management
My rewards for almost ten years spent as an anger management instructor: I unlearned some destructive habits and learned new, healthier ways to express my own anger. All of this was taking place while I was teaching others about their anger! Funny how that works. The...
Anniversary blog #4 — Published !!
Published ! The book that inspired the blog became a reality in November--- Child-Centered Spirituality: Helping children develop their own spirituality. . We talk with our children about the importance of school work, about physical health, about how to navigate...
Do Christmas with a different attitude
Christmas. The late journalist Harry Reasoner called it a “tremendous burst of gift buying, parties and near hysteria [done in the name of] a quiet event that Christians believe happened a long time ago.” Let's be people who show kids how to do December with a...
Children’s spiritual development–what does that mean?
Spiritual development is indeed a journey. Dr. James Fowler's well-reasoned book, Stages of Faith, gives valuable resources for adults responsible for the spiritual development of children. How and when does faith develop? What should we know about the developmental...
Change the way kids see generosity
Would you like to prepare the children you love to have a lifelong habit of generosity? How's it going? Most of us believe in giving our money, time and talent to others but are looking for fresh ways to change that belief into action. 1) Share the joy you derive...
Young children like to discover God’s secrets
"Perhaps the most valuable explorations come when children learn that each person is created in the image of God, deserving respect and caring. When children know that they are created in God's image, their own self-worth is bolstered, and it is safer, and easier, to...
A compassionate heart: is the cost really worth it?
“To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything and your heart will be wrung and possibly broken." --C.S. Lewis Authors Charles R. Ridley and Robert E. Logan inspired me to reflect on the push-pull of desiring to cultivate compassion in children while...
Engage with children in ways that reflect God’s heart
An acquaintance of mine, a preschool teacher, describes a time when she saw God's heart reflected in a child's actions. "One of the children in my class became upset and started to cry. Her classmate, Miguel, immediately stopped what he was doing, grabbed a tissue and...
A change of pace
Starting next week, new blog posts will go out every two weeks, rather than weekly. My focus is being pulled in many directions right now. Because. . . . The pace of life speeds up Personally, I am still adjusting my weekly schedule around a new job at a Hilton hotel...