“Love God, your God, with your whole heart: love him with all that's in you; love him with all you've got!  Write these commandments that I've given you today on your hearts. Get them inside of you and then get them inside your children. Talk about them wherever you are, sitting at home or walking in the street; talk about them from the time you get up in the morning to when you fall into bed at night. Tie them on your hands and foreheads as a reminder; inscribe them on the doorposts of your homes and on your city gates.”                           Deuteronomy 6:5-9 MSG

At Mom Time this week, guest speaker Shelley Gallamore talked about discipline of our children. Biblical Discipline is a 2 part process that must both train the child to be obedient and address the heart issues that cause disobedience.  The above verse from Deuteronomy talks about the best way to achieve this process with our kids – by living out our beliefs alongside and with our kids. We cannot make discipline something that happens for a specific moment of the day, we must make it a part of all we do throughout the day.

Teaching your kids within the context of their life gives you the opportunity to help your child translate the facts you are giving him from his mind to his mouth and hands. It places the knowledge in context and shows a child how it can be applied. As your children see you learning, growing and living as a follower of Christ, they will better understand how to live as a follower of Christ.

But, how do you teach a young child about the bible? Taken from the book Teach Them Diligently by Lou Priolo, here is some practical advice.

• 1.       Extend teaching opportunities beyond the moment of incidence. If your child asks a question or has an experience which you are not immediately able to relate to scripture, do a little research and bring it back later that day or the next.
• 2.       Be sure to use vocabulary your child will understand. Break down complex and abstract theological terminology into more age appropriate, easily understood concepts.
• 3.       Keep conversations relatively short depending on your child’s attention span. If more time is needed, try for several short conversations at a pace the child is comfortable with.
• 4.       Use role-play to apply what you are talking about with your child. Especially when you are talking about what could have been done differently or what should be done in an upcoming event; this allows you to test their understanding and makes the lesson much more practical.
• 5.       Encourage questions.  Many parents get all shook up when their kids ask questions because they are unsure of the answers. Don’t be afraid to learn alongside your children by looking up and thinking through their questions.
• 6.       Teach in the context of a loving relationship. A good teacher is personally involved with the student. Your relationship with your child should include plenty of one-on-one communication time and assurances of love. This type of environment is essential to create an atmosphere of trust.
• 7.       Use child- oriented videos, CD’s, DVD’s and books to help teach biblical concepts. There are so many great materials available now that will help fill your child’s mind with scripture. These resources can be very effective in helping your child internalize God’s word and will make learning much more enjoyable.