Before they can talk: 7 ways to teach toddlers about God

Before they can talk: 7 ways to teach toddlers about GodEach night, before I put my 1-year-old daughter Maggie or her twin brother William to bed, I ask them simply, “Who made you?” They’re usually their sweetest at these moments, and they often smile while pointing heavenward and shouting in a tiny voice, “God!”

I’ve always been amazed at how quickly small children learn, even though they’re barely – if at all — talking. At 19 months Maggie learned the color yellow and was telling her surprised grandma about her beautiful “yella” dress. I’m pretty sure William knows the color “blue,” but he’s usually too rambunctious for me to stop and quiz him.

Scripture tells parents to teach their children about the Lord from an early age and to talk about Him throughout the day (Deuteronomy 6:5-7). But how do we do that when young children can’t even talk, when their attention span lasts mere seconds?

Isn’t it too early to teach them about spiritual concepts? In one, word, “no.”

We often hear that children are like “sponges.” Let them soak up God’s Word – no matter the age. Start with the “complex” subjects, and the simple ones, too. We teach our 1 year olds about Christ’s death, burial and resurrections, but we also teach them more basic concepts – for instance, simply that God made them.

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4 reasons parents should apologize to their kids (when they’re wrong)

4 reasons parents should apologize to their kids (when they’re wrong)One of the greatest moments as a father is walking into the house and seeing your smiling children jump in joy at your mere appearance. My youngest son, at 19 months, will blare out “Daaaaad!” at the top of his lungs, often winning the “loudest” and “biggest smile” contest. His brown-eyed twin sister, just as excited, will run to me, ponytail swaying back and forth, wanting me to pick her up and kiss her. And my eldest son will squeeze me tight, excitedly telling me about the frog he caught that day or the unidentified bug he trapped.

Those are the moments when you want to stop time and treasure, forever.

Then there are those not-so-great moments when you mess up as a father. Once, I sent my eldest son to his room when I misunderstood the situation and he in fact had done nothing wrong. Another time, I failed to follow through on a promise I had made to him. Still another time, I raised my voice when it wasn’t warranted.

As parents, we have several biblical roles. One is to rear our children in a loving home and to teach them to obey, thereby preparing them for a life of obeying a holy God who loves them even more. Another role, though, is to model for them the life of a Christian. That is, they should see in us not only their authority figure, but also a fellow sinner, and hopefully a fellow brother or sister in Christ. They should observe us praying to God and reading His Word, and they should see us serving others and living a life of obedience to our Creator.

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