Phil and I have started to read the small catechism to the girls at each meal time. We’ve started with The Lord’s Prayer taking the Introduction at breakfast, the 1st Petition at lunch and the 2nd Petition at supper. We’ve tried to do this everyday throughout October and in November we’ll move on to Petitions 3-5. At this time they’re obviously too young to understand what we’re saying but I wanted to begin to familiarize them with these words or sounds or whatever it is children at their age are capable of learning.
I know Lily already recognizes Luther’s evening prayer and the Lord’s Prayer since we’ve been praying them every night before bedtime for sometime now. At church when we begin to pray the Lord’s prayer she looks around and smiles. I’m just glad she doesn’t start crying thinking we’re all about to go “night-night”. I think it’s important to begin even at this age teaching God’s Word to our children and letting it be a normal part of our daily life. They really do pickup so much more than we think. Their understanding of it will come in time.
It works! At 2.5 years old, Mary can independently say The Lord's Prayer and The Apostles Creed, and sing All Christians Who Have Been Baptized (the hymn) and some of A Mighty Fortress. At her preschool parent teacher conference this week (hilarious, I know..) her teacher told she was surprised that Mary didn't sing "Jesus Loves Me" in chapel, since she obviously loves singing and sings all the time, even while playing. I thought for a minute and said that I wasn't sure she was familiar with it. She looked at me like I was crazy! ("What? A PK who doesn't know Jesus Loves Me??") And Clint said, "But she knows A Mighty Fortress.." Then she really looked at us like we were crazy! Ha!