As the mother of two toddler boys – I was anxious to begin some sort of faith discussions with them, even though they were still part of the “nursery set” at our local church and weren't old enough for the weekly Sunday School classes. So when my oldest child got his first haircut at 3 years of age – I thought it was the perfect time to begin ...
When we came home from that haircut I asked Eric, “Where did you get your pretty hair?” He didn't answer so I went on to explain that God had made him, given him his shiny dark hair, his beautiful green eyes, his belly button and even the freckles that had already begun to appear across the bridge of his nose. He seemed to be taking in the story without question and as I put him down for his nap, I was pretty pleased with myself that our first “Sunday School” lesson had gone so well.
Later, at dinner, I was anxious to see what Eric could recall of our discussion. So I asked him to tell Daddy where he had gotten his pretty hair. Eric quickly shared that he knew his brown curly hair came from God – and so did his belly button – and so did his nose. Then his Daddy turned to him and said “And where is God?” Eric paused for a moment and said “Oh! He's in the barbershop!”
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It is never too early or too late to begin talking about God with your children. It isn't even necessary to pull out a children's Bible and read about Adam and Eve or Noah's Ark. Browse the shelves of any bookstore and you will find delightful children's books about God. Written by Archbishop Desmond Tutu, “God's Dream” takes a more Universalist approach to faith, with a lesson for even the youngest child that God's dream for us is a world where we know we are all brothers and sisters. “God's Paintbrush” by Sandy Eisenberg Sasso invites children (and their parents) of all faiths and backgrounds to find God in experiences and imagination. Both books create opportunities for faith discussion with your children, no matter what your religious background.
Please join us on Sunday morning for Worship at 10:30, while your children enjoy Sunday School! First Congregational Church of Sonoma, United Church of Christ. 252 W Spain St, Sonoma
