A Precious Conversation with Your Child

Suggestions for talking with your child about the

first days, weeks and months of his or her life

When it seems to you that the subject might interest your young son or daughter, sit down on the sofa with your child at your side ready to tell him or her a story.

You say, "Sammy" or "Jenny, I'm going to tell you a story - the story of your life!"

"Sammy, who created the world with all the mountains, the oceans, the sun and the stars?"

Sammy responds, "Well, Daddy, God created the world!"

"Very good, Sammy. You are right. And before He created the world and those gigantic mountains, God was thinking of you! He wanted you to come into existence!

"And before putting the sun high in the sky, He was thinking of you, He loved you. He wanted to share His Life with you - to love you and receive your love, too.

"And much, much later, just at the right time, He created you - your life began!

"You were so small at the beginning that neither Mommy nor I knew that you were there, beginning to grow in a special place inside Mommy's body. Then, no one could see you, except God.

"You were so small, just like a tiny fish in the deepest part of the sea. No one sees him, but he is there. Or like a little star far, far away in the sky. It is so far away that no one sees it, but it is there.

"You were growing and growing and one day Mommy found out that you were in that special place inside of her. She was so excited and when she told me, both of us became very happy. We were full of love for you, and very grateful to God for giving us the precious gift which you are!

"Your little body was getting bigger, and your tiny heart began to beat. Your little legs and arms were growing, and your tiny fingers were forming! ... Look at these pictures!* Aren’t they neat?"

And in this way, with more simple explanations and illustrations (all the way to the day of birth) the child learns how he grew and developed and how his mom took care of him during all that time. - all within a context of Love.

The most significant aspect of this approach is how it explains how much God loved your child since before the creation of the world, and He continues loving him.

It explains the child's life in the context of a loving God.

When a mother or father talks to their child with such affection and with this kind of focus, a parent-child connection with God is created that gives real meaning to Life, and is a great influence and reference for the child's whole life.

This method gives parents a practical vocabulary to communicate valuable things to their children, establishing a basis for all of life - that they are created by and for God who loves them infinitely.  Parents can use this vocabulary and this approach as a way to build on many aspects and moments of the child's journey through life.

A child who experiences this will have a powerful spiritual foundation for his or her entire life, and will grow up knowing that he or she is loved not only by their parents but also by God, their Creator, the One who gave them life.

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*Illustrations and simple descriptions to use while talking with your child can be found in numbers of books and pamphlets. An example with beautiful illustrations of the unborn child is the pamphlet “Watch Me Grow” – available by calling Family Life Council, Inc. at 414-218-3769 or from:

http://www.littleonepublishing.com/insidebrochure.html ,,,.... And a great, new booklet by the Sisters of Life, “I would climb any mountain for you”, is excellent for parents to read to their child: https://orders.sistersoflife.org/products/i-would-climb-any-mountain-for-you

Some of the ideas from this article come from "Before You Were Born", a book by Joan Lowery Nixon, originally published by Our Sunday Visitor Publishing (Huntington, Indiana). It is out of print, but you may be able to find a copy through the Internet, or contact the author of this article: wauwatosalife@gmail.com

A digital copy of the above article can be found at:  http://www.4life4family.org/a-precious-conversation-with-your-child-2/  A Spanish-language version can be found at: http://www.4life4family.org/conversa-2/

Dan Zeidler, the author of this article, is president of Family Life Council, Inc. - www.4life4family.org - and can be reached at: wauwatosalife@gmail.com  

Family Life Council, Inc., 2416 N. 74 St., Wauwatosa, WI 53213 (414)-218-3769, www.4life4family.org