Talking to Children About God.
When your mind and heart are truly open abundance will flow to you effortlessly and easily.
Question:
My wife and I are blessed to have 2 wonderful children, an 11-year-old girl, and an 8-year-old boy, but I am perplexed at how to explain God to them. We attend Catholic church as regularly as possible (2-3 times per month), however, the kids are usually bored in Church and Catechism classes, so I don’t think they really hear/have an interest in what is being said.
I remember telling my son when he was 5 years old that God is everywhere and that He is even inside of him (at which point he proceeded to open his mouth as wide as he possibly could and said “Daddy, can you see Him in there, tell him to come out and show me what He looks like.”) …obviously that didn’t go very well, but we did all laugh for a couple of hours afterward and I knew I then that I was not getting very far.
I have followed your posts and read your books for years now and supplement the kid’s Catholic teachings with your messages of peace, love, harmony, and even meditation, that I have learned. However, I don’t know if I am making that much of a difference with this alone, and was hoping you could recommend a book of interest to parents of young children. Not trying to raise saints, just kids that are spiritual and caring for all of life.
Answer:
Your letter reminds me of the story of Arjuna wanting to see the true nature of the Divine, was guided to look into Krishna’s mouth. Then being granted divine sight, Arjuna saw the entire universe, with all the gods and goddesses, the whole sweep of creation, and the functioning of the divine as all-powerful, imperishable, and all-knowing. Arjuna was shaken and overwhelmed by the vision and then asked Krishna to return to his gentle human form.
Anyway, regarding how to talk to your children about God, it’s important that you take your cues from them as to what it is about their nature and universe that interests them. My book The Seven Spiritual Laws for Parents offers suggestions to help you teach your children about how the divine operates in their lives and all around them. Then, how they can cultivate a relationship with that inner divine presence to make their life more enjoyable and fulfilling.
Love,
Deepak
