Children mimic what they see more so than what they are taught to do. In our household it was imperative to live a life that pleases God, because your children will do exactly what they see you do!
The meaning of our daughters name, Iyah is “A Miracle or Gift from God. Like many of our names, having deep meaning. Our identity shapes us as to who we are. It is important for us as parents to teach Iyah the meaning of her name. We want to instill God into her life so that she can develop her own relationship at a tender age. With us, it’s not about religion, it’s about knowing who your maker is and having a close relationship with God himself.
From our experience, we have seen that knowing who you are in Christ shapes and directs you as to who you are in the world later. Therefore, it is important for us as parents to do our due diligence with Iyah.
We started with praying over her when she was in the womb. We took her first newborn pictures with her on a bible. We started reading daily devotionals with her, teaching her how to pray over her food, saying prayers at night before bed, and singing kid friendly biblical songs such as, “Jesus Loves Me.”
It is important for our kids to have a solid foundation and structure. Solid foundation at home brings pure joy to children. It makes children feel more calmer, loved, relaxed, and happy.
We pray that Iyah grows up to be proud of who she is because first she knows that God loves her unconditionally, her parents love her unconditionally and that she loves herself with a gentle selflessness approach.
Talking about your God to your children may be difficult for some. When having a conversation with your children, describe your God as a person, but not a real-life, flesh-and-blood person. Let them know that your God is everywhere. This can be a tough concept for children to grasp, but a useful analogy is to compare your God to the wind, because they can’t see the wind, but they know it’s there.
We encourage Iyah to decide what she believes, so she can honor those beliefs as an individual choice. Religious beliefs are everywhere, so talk about it like you would talk about sex, astronomy, or politics: matter-of-factly. Be honest but try not to be passionate when explaining.
When raising Iyah, we use the following ten suggestions from our church to help our family grow closer to one another and to God.
- Read God’s word together. …
- Serve others together. …
- Express love for each other often. …
- Pray together as a family. …
- Spend mealtime together. …
- Teach good values. …
- Go to church together. …
- Start traditions together.
- Learn about your ancestors
- Hold a weekly family night
We would love to hear how you have introduced your God to your children. Are there any traditional things you do in your family? Feel free to comment.
