Dec 11, 2017 | Direction
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 social difficulties. We even talk with them about sex, drugs, and internet safety…or if we don’t we know we should. Why do we find it so difficult to talk with children about God?
This is a book to help you engage with the children in your life about their spiritual needs. You can order here,
Our team celebrates this published milestone.
Each team member–Tara Miller, Alisha Ule, Michelle Coe and Annette Schalk—had a vital part in producing the book or blog. And I am looking ahead to what’s coming!
In development
A workshop about Child-Centered Spirituality in Pasadena, CA in April 2018 and seed ideas are emerging:
- Your unique role and responsibilities within the spiritual development of the important children in your life.
- Understand that children develop their spirituality according to their personality and temperament.
- A Spiritual Style assessment can help us be more focused on best practices with each child.
We want your feedback!
After you’ve read the book, what questions do you have? What worked? What didn’t work for you? Here’s some early feedback from one reader: “I might subtitle your book ‘conversation starters.’ Since each of us has a ‘God sized hole’ in our heart, this book helps parents and others recognize or initiate a spiritual issue (question), and respond well. As a parent I missed way too many opportunities because I wasn’t prepared, either for the question, or with a good answer. Your book is prep101.”
A word of appreciation
Thanks to each reader who found ideas here worth using with kids, and an extra cheer when you let us know that it made a difference in the child’s life. We wish you all the best in the coming year!
To thank you for supporting us, we are giving away a free copy of the book to two lucky winners. Enter below:
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Tweetable: Publication of “Child-Centered Spirituality” book highlights the 4th anniversary of a practical, helpful website. Click to Tweet
Nov 6, 2017 | Nurture
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 from giving.
Talk about your giving experiences with them. Celebrate when things go well. Share the lessons you learn when things don’t turn out as you’d hoped. Start young to include them in your charitable efforts (as simple as having them in the car when you drop off donations to a thrift store). Be careful how you talk about their school’s fund-raising appeals. You’re teaching them how to react when a need is presented.
2) Find them a hero or mentor.
In whatever areas interest the child, you will find generous heroes (sports, music, etc). Sarah Trzepacz suggests asking the children’s librarian for titles featuring current and historical heroes “to infuse children with new ideas and renewed energy.” Find a generous hero or mentor among your trusted family friends or neighbors who might introduce new ideas and renewed energy into family projects.
3) High schools often require volunteering in order to graduate.
Sarah Trzepacz observed, “A teen who once enjoyed annual family outings to plant trees in a neighborhood park or sort canned goods at a local food bank may suddenly balk at spending their Saturday afternoon with family members. They may be letting you know they are ready to doing some giving independently from you.” How convenient that many high schools encourage this. Sit down with teens and find out what causes they are passionate about if you can’t already tell by their outside interests or the posters on their bedroom walls. Then if they never invite you to be involved in any way, do whatever you can to say yes and support them, without giving any ideas of your own.
4) Change the way children see generosity.
“Sports Illustrated cited instant replay as one of sports’ ’20 great tipping points’ of the previous 50 years and wrote of instant replay’s impact, ‘The revolutionary premise was that sports could be improved not by changing the games but by changing the way they were packaged.’” (Chris Erskine in the Los Angeles Times, 1-19-15)
Of the options mentioned above, which one stands out to you for its potential to change the way generosity is packaged in your family?
Tweetable: If your goal is to raise generous young adults, a couple of examples here might spark your new idea. Click to Tweet
My new book, Child-centered Spirituality: Helping children develop their own spirituality, is scheduled to be released on November 15th – just in time for the holidays!
Where did Grandma go when she died?
Why doesn’t God stop bad things from happening?
Many parents have experienced a child asking difficult spiritual questions– usually at inopportune moments. While we stumble around trying to think of an answer, we feel inadequate… and sometimes startled by their questions. If you’re like most adults, you try your hardest to avoid thinking much about questions like these. So why on earth is a child asking you about them?
We talk with our children about the importance of school work, about physical health, about how to navigate social difficulties. We even talk with them about sex, drugs, and internet safety… or if we don’t, we know we should.
So why do we find it so difficult to talk with children about God?
Whether you are a parent, grandparent, teacher, foster parent, or other caregiver, this is a book to help you engage with the children in your life about their spiritual needs.
Enter your email below to be notified when our book is available for purchase!
Sep 25, 2017 | Attachment
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 literally wiped her eyes. He then sat next to her and comforted her. Miguel is filled with a deep sense of compassion and justice. I praised Miguel for that compassion and for caring for his friend.”
1) See experiences through the child’s eyes.
Miguel’s empathy reflected God’s heart toward his friend. He had understanding and insight into his friend’s thoughts and feelings. He took action to comfort her.
Empathy is not an easy skill to use, especially for those who were raised to minimize feelings, or skip over feelings and go right to changing or fixing them. When we practice empathy we communicate to children that we care.
2) Respond with empathy to reflect God’s heart of love toward children:
- That hurts, doesn’t it?
- I’m so sorry.
- Good for you! You did it!
- I remember feeling that way when I was a child–it’s exciting, isn’t it?
- It’s scary to feel all alone.
3) Support the child’s bond with God and God’s bond with the child.
Obviously bonding requires presence. Mere information about someone does not make a strong bond. We reflect God’s heart toward children when we support God’s bond with the child. This is difficult because we’re dealing with a Higher Power who is invisible. But when you are with the child, it is also easy to find God’s presence.
Look for kind acts and loving gestures wherever you go. Why? Because that’s where God is making an appearance. Develop a family habit to point out the good, not the stupid or rude.- Notice and verbalize signs of God’s love: in nature, in movies, music, children’s literature, in happy surprises.
- Focus on God’s nurturing, comforting, gentle presence in difficult times and give God the benefit of the doubt.
Tweetable: Understand & support a child’s bond with God even when you don’t have one, or don’t have the same kind. Click to Tweet
Jul 19, 2017 | Uncategorized
As children grow, we mark their progress in a number of ways. We mark their height on the wall. We post their report cards on our refrigerator. We place their most recent school photo on our mantel. As these milestones pass, we share our joy with our family and friends.
In the same way, we would like to share our joy with you as we mark a new milestone in our development.
Since our inception in 2013, Child-centered Spirituality has been focused on sharing content with our readers that is relevant and meaningful, creating opportunities for conversation on the topic of spirituality as it relates to children.
Child-centered Spirituality has grown since then, and we are now on our way toward publishing our first book, Child-centered Spirituality: Helping children develop their own spirituality.
Whether you are a parent, family member, teacher, mentor, or friend, you likely have opportunities in your “world” to encourage a child’s spirituality. By opening yourself up to their world — listening, asking questions, and sharing your insight — you honor the spirituality that already lives within them and helps them to establish their own sense of values and beliefs about themselves, others, and God.
Our blog, and our soon-to-be-released book, is geared to help you do just that.
Late last week you may have received an email notification from our site stating “Hello world!”
Although we didn’t expect that to be sent (thanks technology!), it has provided a perfect opportunity to re-introduce ourselves to you and invite you to explore our freshly updated website.
Read more about our new book and sign up to be one of the first to be notified when it is available here. As our thank you, you’ll receive our downloadable PDF “Why Childhood Spirituality Matters: Top five benefits for kids who are given opportunities to connect with God.”
Thank you for being a part of Child-centered Spirituality!
Janet
Jun 19, 2017 | Security
At any given age children experience normal fears and anxieties. If a family becomes concerned about a child’s unusually high level of anxiety, plenty of psychological resources exist. But there is an additional, important resource to be found in anchoring children at their core—in their spirit.
We all need a place to take our troubles and fears.
For centuries the Bible has been a reliable source of wisdom and offers a powerful picture of what God is like. In one of it’s most meaningful, familiar passages, the 23rd Psalm, a fearful young man writes his prayer:
“Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.”
And much later in the book: “Give all your worries and cares to God, for God cares about you.”
Laura Turner states, “The admonition not to fear is the most frequently repeated instruction in the Bible.”
What my parents did
At a very young age, my parents gave me the following words, recorded in Genesis, spoken by God to Jacob: “I am with you and will keep you in all places.” They explained that nothing could separate me from the love of God, even when harm came to me.
“People have choices,” they said, “and some people hurt others, but when bad things happen to you, God is right there with you. God understands, and you will never be alone.”
Time and time again, these words–God is with me and will keep me in all places–comforted, reassured and built my sense of security not dependent upon my circumstances.
Security–a most valuable gift
Through the dangers, disappointments and losses of my life, God remains a steady presence in the depths of my spirit. I speak of this to the children I love so that they can develop a sense of security rooted in the presence of God and of people who love them.
Note: Bible quotes are Psalm 23:4, Genesis 28:15, 1 Peter 5:7
Tweetable: How my parents instilled a sense of security deep in my spirit that continues to this day. Click to Tweet
