In different families, parents can interpret their attitude to religion in their own way, but basically they agree that the child needs knowledge of religion. For children, the Bible should not be a textbook, literature, imposed by society and parents. Some parents consider religion a too adult topic for the child, but basic knowledge in this area has not harmed anyone. The main thing is not to go to extremes and not try to teach a lesson. Then the Bible will be perceived cheerfully and harmoniously.
Important conversation
No need to close the child in the fantasy world of fairy tales, otherwise real life will be a blow to him. For children, the Bible should be a faithful life partner, assistant and counselor. Talking about religion does not have to be postponed until growing up.
Religion is a part of the world, and the more complete the child’s knowledge of the world, the more it is developed. Talking about religion is a contribution to personality formation, as tolerance and tolerance are brought up in the process. Let religion not play the first violin in modern society, but children should know about it and have their own point of view on this topic. In the end, many holidays have a direct connection with world religions, and without knowledge of them, the child will perceive the world distorted. Even if the family adheres to atheistic views, the child must make his own choice, without coercion from the outside.
Information overload
For children, the Bible must begin with a game in order to generate interest. Construct a conversation in an understandable and accessible language, without delving into theological considerations. It should be borne in mind that religious ideas are very abstract and the child can get confused in them, and therefore the story needs to be built on facts and life experience. It is important to choose the right intonation and the exact time to talk. Do not rest on secret, pathos or reverence.
The conversation should be conducted in a cozy atmosphere and at the mutual desire of the parties. You can start the game based on biblical stories, choose an interesting character and try to make out his line of behavior. Now sold with biblical motifs that can be painted with the child. So for children the Bible will not be scary, it will not be difficult. Faith study will go hand in hand with the game; the child will not be afraid to ask questions and will listen to the answers with interest. The starting point for a conversation can be a trip to the church, a celebration of a religious holiday, or even watching a TV show together.
With an eye on age
If he is a child of gardening age, then he easily believes in mysticism and will perceive the existence of God with enthusiasm. But interest in religion is superficial, and the area itself seems overly complex. No need to inspire fear of God for a child, to talk about the omnipotence of God and his all-seeing. God should not be associated with Santa Claus or a good wizard from a fairy tale.
Closer to first grade, the child begins to ask complex questions about death, the presence of a soul, and life after death. This is the period when the illustrated Bible for children is relevant. Let the kid look at the pictures, study their semantic background, discuss them and get acquainted with the plot. You can compare different religions, since the basic stories in them have similar features.
By age 11, the child can already understand many rituals and religious norms. He understands the meaning of prohibitions and can explain them. At this age, verbal associations with the outside world are good.
A teenager of 12-15 years old is able to maintain a conversation about religion, and he can be told controversial stories from the Bible, discuss them and offer to express his opinion.
Children science
Start your study with action, namely with the right gift. If the celebration has a special occasion, for example, it's Easter or Christmas, then the gift can be thematic. Children's Bible - an original thing for children, a gift with a filling. The Children's Bible is a paraphrase of some of the scriptures with adaptation to an accessible language. Sometimes it’s difficult to make a choice, because there are hundreds of options for books. Although there is no ideal Bible for a child, but if you select a gift individually, you can help yourself with a choice.
Age books
It is clear that the age of the child should be considered when choosing literature. It is better for a five-year-old baby to choose a book with a large number of pictures and explanations for them. The text should not be very much, and let the font be bright and catchy. For the baby, the retelling should be short, but morality must always remain so that the child benefits from what he read. For older children, the retelling can be more detailed, with explanations, comments and background material, to facilitate understanding and complement the meaning.
From the history
Children's bibles appeared only at the end of the nineteenth century, but they did not appear in Soviet times, and therefore it is possible to divide all publications into pre-revolutionary and modern ones. A later Bible is suitable for children and adults at once, as it allows you to establish communication, to find common interests.
You can read the Bible as a fairy tale, but supplement it with life examples so that the child understands the importance of the book. For children, you can take an excellent book, "The History of the Church," compiled from the textbook of Archpriest Peter Smirnov. Adults will also be interested in the publication, because there is a lot of detailed information provided in an accessible form. "Sacred History in Simple Stories" from Archpriest Alexander Sokolov in Russia is republished more often than others. There are almost 500 pages, including a rather detailed retelling of the Old and New Testaments. This is a classic example of what the Bible can be for children. Reviews about this book are mostly positive, although the language of presentation is a bit heavy for the modern reader.
The antipode in severity may be the "Gospel in Retelling for Children" by Natalia Davydova. She is a methodologist in literature, a professional teacher and writer, specializing in Old Russian literature, religion and literature. She writes in a simple and pleasant language, and therefore children read her works with pleasure. For younger schoolchildren and foster children, her books are most relevant. Moms respond positively and with the help of her books even agree with a child about attending Sunday school.