tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4936098968147761448.post1055583189596206410..comments2023-08-15T10:40:48.377-04:00Comments on Are You Listening?: We have spirit, yes we do, we have spirit how about you?andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10548514864368948179noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4936098968147761448.post-14266396466767161722010-12-08T08:58:07.381-05:002010-12-08T08:58:07.381-05:00You can always get a small nativity set to display...You can always get a small nativity set to display in your home and talk about the birth of Christ in general terms and explain that is the reason for the season. <br /><br />I think it's important to teach children the true meaning of Christmas. Start now with simple things and overtime, it will sink in. Good luck.Life Happenshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02302134343874268994noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4936098968147761448.post-29803446298960982092010-12-07T15:13:44.014-05:002010-12-07T15:13:44.014-05:00There are tons of great Christmas story books at p...There are tons of great Christmas story books at places like Family Christian Store or Mardel (not sure if you have either up there). L has one that plays "silent night" while you read the story and she loves that book. Fisher Price also makes a little people nativity set that is just precious.<br /><br />We pray every night together, very basic prayers. The best she can do is say "amen" yet. The church nursery is also a great place for them to start learning! I know getting back in to the swing of going to church can be brutal and hard to manage, but you'll never make a better decision for the rest of your life.<br /><br />xoxoMazzyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16914742489846963185noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4936098968147761448.post-61687411116915246322010-12-07T07:17:43.744-05:002010-12-07T07:17:43.744-05:00I gotta be honest with you. Religion is not my st...I gotta be honest with you. Religion is not my strong suit...I'm not familiar with the stories enough to actually explain them to someone else. I could do a quick synopsis, but I'm sure it would leave a 2-year old (or two) in a state of confusion.<br /><br />This year, I'm leaving it to their preschool (which is religious so they can pose as experts for now) and yesterday Matt just reminded me whose birthday was on 12/25. Love it when someone takes over!Rebeccahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14048243639634834643noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4936098968147761448.post-432629142176094642010-12-06T23:16:02.584-05:002010-12-06T23:16:02.584-05:00Great post! I know that I need to work harder at ...Great post! I know that I need to work harder at this myself. I haven't even considered how I will instill the meaning of Christmas into our family. Honestly, I've been too busy with STUFF- stuff that ultimately doesn't matter. Time to rethink things a bit.Danifredhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12719013628912766337noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4936098968147761448.post-65946821169236391182010-12-06T14:47:59.961-05:002010-12-06T14:47:59.961-05:00Such a great reminder--hard to get wrapped up (ha!...Such a great reminder--hard to get wrapped up (ha! no pun intended!) in all the glitz of the season! But I do want Oman to understand a lot of reasons behind the season--the birth of Jesus, and the gift of GIVING. He puts change in the Salv. Army buckets, and we are going to drop off a Toys for Tots with him--as he grows, I want him to love giving more than receiving.JJhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18027548058304720360noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4936098968147761448.post-34247751854096826552010-12-06T10:39:45.803-05:002010-12-06T10:39:45.803-05:00We just started doing Advent readings this year, a...We just started doing Advent readings this year, and lighting the advent candle each night. Then we sign a Christmas Carol (Away in a Manger, Joy to the World, or Silent Night), and talk about Baby Jesus. We also just got the Fisher Price Nativity set from the in-laws (apparently, it's the year of the Nativity set in our house!).<br /><br />We do take the boys to church, and make sure to ask them each week what they've learned about Jesus. We'll take them to Christmas Eve service, and let them sit with us as long as they're able. Then we go caroling with friends.<br /><br />We find "The Beginner's Bible" to be really good for the boys' age. The stories are simplified, but not watered down, or changed.<br /><br />It is tough at this age to know what's "sinking in," but God does say that His Word never returns to Him void, so I believe that even our simple efforts are planting seeds!seussgirlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04000177197075148901noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4936098968147761448.post-73914086056908401862010-12-06T10:05:37.060-05:002010-12-06T10:05:37.060-05:00Aww, I love this post! :) If you asked me what 5 t...Aww, I love this post! :) If you asked me what 5 things I want to instill in B, one item (#1, probably) would be to make sure he grows up in an environment where he can love Jesus. But it's *hard* when they're little, when so much of what you say (kid, turn Thomas the train OFF before I take him away!) is lost on them.<br /><br />B goes to daycare at a church, so this helps us immensely as they just naturally have conversations about Jesus during the day. He goes to "Sunday school" (which is basically a graduated nursery) on Sundays while we're at church, and I assume they talk about Jesus at some point during that hour too. So I'm lucky that the exposure is there from someone other than us.<br /><br />We have about 3 Bible board books that he seems to fall in and out of love with, but when he happens to bring us one (they're not super lengthy) we point out Jesus and tell B that Jesus loves him. (Keeping the concepts simple for now.) (If you need a book rec., this one is AWESOME, it's SOOOO cute, with simple, rhymy concepts, and B loves it. Highly highly recommended: http://www.amazon.com/Really-Woolly-Bible-Stories-DaySpring/dp/1400316332)<br /><br />Anyway, Christmas! So because B knows who Jesus is a tiny bit, if you point at a dude with a beard in a book he'll tell you it's "DEEBUS!". When we put the tree up this weekend and got my tiny nativity set out, we put it at his eye level, and I showed him baby Jesus and said "this is baby Jesus, he's sleeping, shhhh". So now when B comes in the house, he runs to the nativity and says "baby deebus, nigh nigh". <br /><br />So. He's 1, he doesn't "get" Christmas. He doesn't even know he gets presents yet. My hope is that we keep Jesus is in our house all year, and that next year we'll be able to build upon what we did this year... maybe start to tell him why Baby Jesus came, in 2 year old terms.<br /><br />It's really about baby steps, you just do what you can, when you can, and in terms that make sense to them. I definitely do NOT have this all figured out, we just wing it on a daily basis. :) I'll be praying for you guys. xoAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com