It's What You Show

This short article serves as our February preschool newsletter lead article.

My son and I were sitting at the kitchen table recently, when, without warning, he asked me, “Dad, how can Jesus be God’s Son?” That wasn’t a question I was expecting him to ask. I did my best to answer him in a way he could understand, and I will concede that my pastoral training did come in handy. Nevertheless, his question surprised me. I tried to communicate to him a thoughtful answer, and I hope he will take it to heart.
As a parent of a preschooler, I think you can probably relate to this. The questions that children come up with can often amaze us and catch us off guard. As parents, we have been called by God to guide our children through life, but there will be times when we simply don’t have all the answers. We need to convince ourselves that that is okay. In fact, I am sure that it is better for our children to hear Mom or Dad say an honest “I don’t know,” than to fumble around with a made-up, unconvincing story or a bogus explanation.
Like many other aspects of parenting, it’s about what you show more than what you know. If you show your child that you don’t know everything, but you know where to look for answers, that is a powerful lesson. If you show your child that learning the Bible and being part of a Christian fellowship is important, you will provide them with a strong foundation for life. Showing your child that learning is a lifelong attitude is one of those gifts that keeps on giving.