If a child grows up in an Orthodox family, then religion naturally enters his life. He sees his parents praying, goes to the temple with them, examines the Bible. Quite early, such a baby has questions about faith. Answering them is sometimes more difficult than explaining where the children come from . How to tell a child about God and bring up in Orthodoxy from an early age? We listen to the opinion of priests.
Main mistakes
Archpriest A. Bliznyuk, a teacher at the St. Peter's School in Moscow, knows from his own experience how to tell a child about God. Familiar to him and the main mistakes of parents. There are five of them:
- Lack of adult time to talk. In this case, they simply dismiss the child, show that questions of faith are not so important.
- Resentment of the "ungodly" thoughts expressed by the baby. If the desire to baptize a beloved cat came across the reproaches of adults, the child may become isolated and stop sharing his opinion.
- Refusal to answer "stupid" questions. Behind them may be hidden something really important for the baby, so it is more appropriate to show patience.
- One-time conversation. In order for the children to have a voluminous idea of ​​God, the same topics should be discussed repeatedly and preferably with different people.
- Revaluation of own knowledge. Not all questions can be answered by a parent immediately, and then it is more correct to admit ignorance, to seek help from a priest or other knowledgeable people.
About God the smallest
Young parents care about when and how to tell their children about God. Kids begin to listen to interesting stories by about two years old. At this time, the first conversations on the themes of faith should begin.
The crumbs are of great interest to icons and beautiful pictures in the children's Bible. Consider them, give brief and understandable explanations. The text is too early to read. But it is appropriate to show your respect for these subjects, special love. If the child wants, let me pet or kiss your favorite character. At this age, children are very emotional. They cannot be aware of certain truths with the mind, but they feel them with their hearts.
Let's play
How to tell children about God if they still do not understand the words well? The best way out is the game. After looking at the children's Bible, stage the story with toys. Build the ark from the boxes and place animal figures in it. Take the dolls and play the birth of the baby Jesus.
Remember God during role-playing games. Let the bunny with the bear thank the Creator before eating an imaginary mess. Putting the doll to bed, pray briefly. Well, if you find children's religious songs, accompanied by movements.
First prayers
Not all adults understand how to tell God about a child at 3 years old. At this age, the kids understand all the words literally, so the Creator will be a kind grandfather for them from the icon. This is enough for now.
At this age, all babies seek to imitate their parents. Teach them to pray like mom and dad. Just don’t need to cram our Father. The first prayers should be simple, clear and extremely short. These may be requests ("God, make Anechka stop coughing. Amen") or thanks ("God, thanks for the delicious soup. Amen").
Teach your child to stand or sit with a straight back during prayer, not to indulge and not to spin. When God fulfills an ingenuous childhood request, focus on this and thank the Creator.
God visit
Priests advise to come to the temple with the baby as often as possible. Up to 7 years, children do not need to be specially prepared for the sacrament, depriving of breakfast. Children still do not understand what is happening, but their soul absorbs God's grace. Standing the whole service is not necessary. Show your child beautiful icons, admire the burning candles. You can grab a children's Bible and flip through it, sitting on a bench. When the baby is tired, go outside and let him run.
Closer to 3 years, children begin to wonder who this bearded uncle is in a cassock and why babies are dipped in water. How to tell your child about God and baptism so that he understands you? Avoid complicated words and unnecessary details. Explain that the Church is the house of God. The ringing of bells means that the Lord is inviting everyone who loves Him to visit. In the Church, we can talk with God, and the priests help us with this.
On the dome of the temple there is a cross that protects people from everything bad. Everyone who loves God wears the same cross on his chest. He is hanged during a special ceremony. It is called baptism. Toddlers are dipped in water and pray for them. It helps them grow good. And so that they become even kinder and stronger, a communion rite is performed.
What is God?
Children are growing fast. How to tell a child about God at 4 years old? Psychologists and priests are sure that it is at this age that you can have serious conversations with the kids. They are already able to understand that God is invisible, that he is simultaneously everywhere and nowhere. Of course, words need to be selected extremely simple.
Explain that God is a great power that has created our whole world, heaven and earth, seas and plants, animals and man. He is invisible, but with our hearts we can feel His love. If we feel bad, we ask God for help, because He is very kind and helpful. When we are well, we thank Him, and He rejoices for us. God wants all people to do good deeds and be happy. As a sign that you are under the protection of God, a cross is hanging on your chest.
When they put it on a baby, the Lord gives him one angel. Angels are his assistants. They are also invisible, but they are always near the person, they protect him from illnesses and dangers. If a child obeys, helps adults, shares toys, his angel rejoices. And if the baby is behaving badly, the invisible defender is very upset and crying.
Reading the bible
The best answer to the question of how to tell your child about God and Jesus Christ would be to read the scriptures. For preschoolers, children's publications are more suitable with beautiful illustrations, geographical maps and photographs of various biblical places. Select a book approved by the Orthodox Church.
Pupils and families with children of different ages will need a non-adapted Bible. It is better to read it regularly, following a few rules:
- Get readings daily by the whole family.
- Create a festive atmosphere, turn off the lights, light candles.
- Do not drag out the event. Ten minutes is enough.
- Adults should prepare in advance for reading and study the patristic interpretation of the passage. Their lively descriptions can make the episode more vivid and understandable for children.
- Draw the children’s attention to the moral aspect of what they read and relate it to ordinary life. Just avoid the notations. You need the child to want to become better, and not feel like the worst kid in the world.
- Let the children ask any questions. If you don’t know how to answer them correctly, think together. As a last resort, turn to the priest or other reliable sources, but never leave questions unanswered.
What to watch out for
We figured out how to tell a child about God when he is small. Now let's talk about the problems that parents may face:
- If you are raising a child in Orthodoxy, then you yourself will have to deal with the issues of faith and build your life in accordance with the commandments. And this requires serious efforts from parents.
- Kids, like adults, do not always want to work on themselves. It is easier for them to turn the icon against the wall and steal the candy, than to cope with their desire. Parents need a lot of patience and tact in order to encourage the child to obey and teach how to fight bad thoughts through prayers.
- Sometimes children are forced into good behavior, frightening God with anger or talking about demons. As a result, the baby is not so much in love as it is afraid of the Creator, and at night he dreams of terrible nightmares with the devil in the title role. Protecting your child from bullying is an important task for loving parents.
- Attempts to guide comrades on the right track can lead to conflicts in kindergarten and school. Therefore, you need to talk with children about tolerance. The cross cannot be shown to anyone. Faith is a very intimate affair, it’s wrong to flaunt it in front of other people, flaunt, boast.
We attach the child to rituals and traditions
Parents often ask how to tell their child about God and Orthodoxy. But deeds are no less important than words. At age 7, the child goes to confession for the first time. It is believed that it is from this age that he is able to critically look at himself. His conscious spiritual struggle with the evil one begins. Do not dictate to the child what sins he must confess. Let him decide what misconduct he is ashamed of. Teach him to notice his evil thoughts and defend himself from them with prayer or the sign of the Cross.
Since that time, you can tell children about the deep subtext of religious rites. Long services are easier to carry if the child understands their meaning. By your example, show that going to the temple is a great joy, not a boring duty. Well, if this is followed by a pleasant gift or a fun walk with the whole family.
A lot of questions related to the post. Scientists are sure that periodic abstinence from fast food can not harm a healthy child. However, fasting is not a diet, but a deliberate imposition of certain restrictions on oneself in the name of God. Wrong are those parents who, of their own free will, deprive a child of sweets, cartoons and computer games. It is better to ask the child himself whether he will fast and what he is ready to give up in the name of God. Only by making independent decisions will he learn to defeat his desires.
Sunday School
How to talk about God and the creation of the earth to a child of 10 years old who is studying the theory of the universal explosion at school? How to prove that man was created by the Lord, and not descended from a monkey? Fortunately, most temples have Sunday schools. Classes in them are conducted by priests or pious laity who know the answers to such tricky questions. Here you can get to know the Bible and the lives of saints, revered icons and religious songs.
It is highly recommended that you give your child to such lessons so that he finds himself among Orthodox children. The child needs to have his own circle of friends connected with Orthodoxy and not directly connected with his parents. This is especially important for adolescents who seek to become independent. The restoration of the temple, a pilgrimage trip among peers, an Orthodox camp - all this can be a decisive impetus for a personal meeting with God.
Independent choice
Orthodox parents think a lot about how to tell their children about God. They themselves went a hard way towards him. They want the child to have faith by default and be accepted with gratitude. But this does not always happen. In adolescence, riot often begins. The kid who put the icon under the pillow and played the priest suddenly refuses to go to the temple.
According to the priests, this is natural. If before the child obeyed his parents, now he is moving away from them in order to start an independent life. He needs to build his own relationship with God. Any pressure on him is unacceptable. The best that parents can do is stop controlling the teenager’s religious life.
How to help a rebellious child
How to tell children about God when they refuse to listen to their parents? In adolescence, they find it easier to hear other people: a priest whom the child trusts, peers from the Orthodox club. If the child tells his secrets not to you, but to the confessor, rejoice. This means that he has a personal space in the Church.
Unobtrusively inspire a teenager that you can come to God with any problem and find support. A dangerous mistake is made by parents telling the children that they cannot enter the church with a mohawk or after taking drugs. On the contrary, it is here that a confused person will be able to get help and will always be accepted.
How to tell children about God? The main thing in such conversations is your sincerity. Children acutely feel the falsity. Avoid her, and trust the Lord in everything else.