The spiritual development of children really begins to bloom between the ages of four and six. They will have an active imagination and will be open to following God and Christ, but will also be interested in angels, saints, and other figures from the Bible. These young children will have very insightful or profound things to say about God, the world, and life and will respond to concrete stories, symbols, and experiences. While they tend to be black-and-white thinkers, they will begin to use the religious or spiritual language of their family.
Teaching children to communicate ideas is a very important task in the family. Teaching them the language of the church is one way parents can support the spiritual growth of their children. Parents can give their children more ways to participate in the family’s spiritual practices by teaching them a grace to say at mealtime, praying the Lord’s prayer, and reading from a Children’s Bible to help them learn the story of the Bible. Participating in the church will help them to learn how their community of faith worships and works together. Parents can encourage questions about the world, life, death and other spiritual matters and use those opportunities to tell their children what they believe, too. Through the use of art materials, parents can help children express what they experience and believe about their emerging faith.
The seasons of the Church Year such as Advent and Christmas are excellent times to teach children about the life of Christ and to bring the religious aspects of otherwise secular holidays into the home. Setting up a space for an Advent Wreath or calendar will encourage the whole family to spend a little time together each day to reflect on the coming of the Christ Child. Let the children help decorate this space with those things that have meaning for them. Perhaps each child in the family could have his or her own unbreakable Nativity set to arrange (and rearrange) during the Advent season or your family could make your own Nativity figures from paper, clay, clothes pins and fabric, or whatever else your imagination leads you to. Save putting the Baby Jesus in the manger until Christmas Eve and remember to thank God for this most precious gift of His son.
By using your own creativity and the traditions your family may already have, young children will happily add their own ideas and enthusiasm for celebrating Advent and Christmas, as well as other seasons of the Church Year. Not only will the spiritual practices of the adults in the family be enriched, but the children will be affirmed in their spiritual development as they contribute to their growing understanding of themselves in their relationship to God.
Wishing you all the blessings of Advent and Christmas.
Sue Legnani
Director of Christian Formation
l classes for children in grades 2 to 6 will not be held, but everyone is invited to the parish hall to make Jesse Tree ornaments for the parish Christmas Tree. Bring your family Creche as well for a blessing. Tables will be set up in the Parish Hall for them so that we can all enjoy the variety of these wonderful symbols of Christ’s birth. Please join us for this special Advent Coffee Hour activity.
Teenagers Through The Turbulent Waters of Adolescence will be shown in the Conference Room. This session is titled Know the Risks: Tough Questions That Deserve Straight Answers. It deals with how to cool off before confronting a teenager’s risky behavior, having frank talks with your teenager and how to be right out in the open about the issues, talking less and saying more, taking tough action, teaching boundaries and helping teens see how his/her actions will influence him/her for years to come.
An information meeting for parents of young people who would like to participate in the God and Country Award program will be held on December 14th after the 9:00 service. This program is for youth in Grade 1 through High School. Although it's a program that is often associated with Scouting, any young person can participate in it. Parents must be able to participate as well with their child. 
What's a YAC??