Teaching children about Hashem

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Forum -> Chinuch, Education & Schooling

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amother

Violet

Mon, Jan 11 2016, 7:44 pm

This is admittedly more about my own insecurities than about how to actually teach children about Hashem. I know how I want to raise my children, and I know that I want them to be free to ask and talk about Hashem. I want to raise them to treasure their relationship with Hashem, to love Him, and I want them to see His hand in every facet of their lives, to be grateful for all Hashem does for them - big and small. How do I get past my own insecurities about being seen as hokey or "cute" for bringing them up this way?

ETA: I'm worried my insecurities will rub off on my children and harm them.

Lady Bug

Mon, Jan 11 2016, 8:29 pm

The best way to educate your kids in the ways you mentioned is to feel that way yourself. Your kids will automatically absorb your feelings around Hashem, especially if you make it a part of your daily language.

So the answer is, teach yourself. Maybe try one of these self parenting courses like Dina Friedman's mastery or some of the others that have been mentioned on this site previously.

seeker

Mon, Jan 11 2016, 11:13 pm

I always wanted to try but haven't been as successful as I thought. However my DD is going to a Bais Yaakov school and she is getting quite a thorough treatment of this. She brings it home with her and it opens up a lot of nice conversations and opportunities. I find it coming more naturally to me since she is familiar with the idea already anyway.

I don't think there's anything "cutesy" about raising kids to be God-conscious. I don't say things to be cute, I say it because I mean it. I might not mean it instinctively, but when I say it it's true, and modeling for my children is a great incentive to better myself.

amother

Violet

Mon, Jan 11 2016, 11:33 pm

My insecurities are exactly BECAUSE this is how I am too, and I want to impart these things to my children, but I'm scared because any little comment about it could really hurt me. These are the deepest things in my soul and if someone puts it down or calls it cutesy or whatever I think I would be devastated. I would be happy to keep it the private thing it is now, other than that I want my children to be exposed to it.

seeker

Mon, Jan 11 2016, 11:34 pm

Your kids are exactly the ones who won't comment about it. They don't know how to do that yet, plus you're the mom - when they're little you can do whatever you want and when you're big they will make fun of everything you do anyway.

amother

Violet

Mon, Jan 11 2016, 11:40 pm

I'm not worried about my children making comments. I'm concerned that when they inevitably repeat things I say to people like, say, their grandparents or their teachers or family friends, etc. that I will get comments.

seeker

Mon, Jan 11 2016, 11:47 pm

So how many other things in life do you decide based on what others will say?
Hug

the world's best mom

Tue, Jan 12 2016, 7:06 am

And if other people comment that it's cute, is that a bad thing? I would chuckle and move on with my day.

My kids used to play trouble together, and if someone had no pieces out, each time she spun, she would say, "Hashem please help me get a 6, Hashem please help me get a 6..." Other people did find that to be cute at times- so what? It's a great thing. I'm not seeing your problem here.

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