Children are naturally curious. Children are innate observers and imitators of those people around them. Children love being allowed to be a 'big kid' and join the adults, when it is presented as a privilege. But how does your home make going to church feel?
Perspective is everything. The glass is half empty or the glass is half full. We HAVE...... to go to church vs we GET to go to church. What perspective do your children glean from your attitude and actions about attending meetings of the local church?
Scenario One:
Do they see the joy, the effort you will put into preparation, and the thrill of going to worship the Lord?
OR
Do they see you snoozing the alarm a few too many times, running around looking for what the family needs, with a shrill response to any questions or demands your spouse or children make?
OR
Is the car ride to the meeting one of correction, frustration, anger or apologies for the rush, the demands, the hurry up, we can't be LATE?
Scenario Two:'
'
Saturday night:
Do you stay up late watching a movie as a family? playing games? and putting everyone to bed a little later since church doens't start as early as school or work does, and we get to sleep in.
OR
Do you discuss in the evening, whose showering tonight? and whose showering in the morning? Great- what time will we each need to be in the shower by so we can all be ready on time?
What are you wearing for church tomorrow? Can you lay out (or mom will lay out and you help) your clothes including your socks, undies, and shoes. With your bible or church bag waiting in the mudroom door.
Scenario Three:
Child (as it is already past time to leave for church) , "I don't want to go to church. It's boring, it's quiet, the people behind us smell funny...."
Adult response: "Tough, we are going to church." OR "You know I'm tired too- let's stay home" OR
Adult response: "It's not boring, it's worshiping God with our friends." OR
Adult response: "I'm sorry you feel that way, we will talk about why we go to church, how to make it more interesting in the ride over and at lunch today, and we can change where we sit today."
Later: Adult- what about church is boring? do you know why we go? Do you know that I consider church very important because I want to worship God and thank/praise Him for all that He has done for me and continues to do, and I love learning about who God is every time we gather with other believers at church."
Thinking: did the child say it's boring because- they don't know why you go? to make you mad because you've rushed them today? to see if they can tip the scale and get you to stay home today? What is the child's motivation behind the question. We had one child who just had to complain about everything we made him do, and by the time we got there he accepted it and was pleasant, because we had pursued the motive behind his words and discussed our reasoning.
Scenario One:
Do they see the joy, the effort you will put into preparation, and the thrill of going to worship the Lord?
OR
Do they see you snoozing the alarm a few too many times, running around looking for what the family needs, with a shrill response to any questions or demands your spouse or children make?
OR
Is the car ride to the meeting one of correction, frustration, anger or apologies for the rush, the demands, the hurry up, we can't be LATE?
Scenario Two:'
'
Saturday night:
Do you stay up late watching a movie as a family? playing games? and putting everyone to bed a little later since church doens't start as early as school or work does, and we get to sleep in.
OR
Do you discuss in the evening, whose showering tonight? and whose showering in the morning? Great- what time will we each need to be in the shower by so we can all be ready on time?
What are you wearing for church tomorrow? Can you lay out (or mom will lay out and you help) your clothes including your socks, undies, and shoes. With your bible or church bag waiting in the mudroom door.
Scenario Three:
Child (as it is already past time to leave for church) , "I don't want to go to church. It's boring, it's quiet, the people behind us smell funny...."
Adult response: "Tough, we are going to church." OR "You know I'm tired too- let's stay home" OR
Adult response: "It's not boring, it's worshiping God with our friends." OR
Adult response: "I'm sorry you feel that way, we will talk about why we go to church, how to make it more interesting in the ride over and at lunch today, and we can change where we sit today."
Later: Adult- what about church is boring? do you know why we go? Do you know that I consider church very important because I want to worship God and thank/praise Him for all that He has done for me and continues to do, and I love learning about who God is every time we gather with other believers at church."
Thinking: did the child say it's boring because- they don't know why you go? to make you mad because you've rushed them today? to see if they can tip the scale and get you to stay home today? What is the child's motivation behind the question. We had one child who just had to complain about everything we made him do, and by the time we got there he accepted it and was pleasant, because we had pursued the motive behind his words and discussed our reasoning.
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