Let the Little Children Come to Me

Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these. (Matthew 19:14)

This image of Jesus rebuking the disciples for hindering small children from coming to him is something close to my educator’s heart. Children, especially very young children, are yearning for instruction. Children are eager for knowledge in a way that often wanes for us adults. We cannot, however, as Jesus said, be the hindrance to their hunger for knowledge. This searching, or seeking has much to do with our ingrained longing for Truth. To hinder a child’s search would be tantamount to barring the door to God’s kingdom. Instead, Jesus invites us to share Him with children.

One of the simplest ways we can begin children on the path toward truth is by reading to them and, later, encouraging them to read. Provide good works for them that will, like tiny bread crumbs, lead them toward the ultimate Truth.

St. Josemaria Escriva said, “Don’t neglect your spiritual reading – Reading has made many saints.” He also said, “By reading I build up a store of fuel, which fills my prayer with life and inflames my thanksgiving…” As the primary teachers of the faith, we are obligated to ignite our children’s discovery, fueling their innate quest for goodness. We can begin this through the written word.

Interesting children in the written word doesn’t have to be anything particularly complex. One of my favorite quotes comes from Albert Einstein. He said, “If you want your children to be intelligent, read them fairy tales. If you want them to be more intelligent, read them more fairy tales.” My advice? Start reading what you loved as a child. Your enthusiasm alone will be fodder for their enthusiasm.

There are three easy ways to encourage a child’s reading:

Read to them. Hearing your fluency and inflections will be precious preparation for their own reading acumen. If you let yourself get comfortable with it, using different voices or adding sound effects here and there, they’ll get hooked quickly. It may even be better than watching a movie and having the additional benefit of active, rather than passive, time together.
Listen to them read. Even older children feel special when an adult will take the time to listen to them (all screens aside) and show interest in the story.
Be seen reading. Just like modeling prayer and reflection can be transformative for a child, putting your love of reading on display may convince even the most stalwart “non-reader”.

Once you have exhausted the books you’re familiar with, there are bountiful lists of books that are trusted sources for good, true literature. Start somewhere like here: https://biblicalhomeschooling.org/classical/celoop/1000.html

Finally, be sure to discuss the story. Ask things like: How do you think the character feels right now? Have you ever felt that way? What do you think is going to happen? Etc. This will get their creative juices flowing and add another layer of interest to the experience. Discussing the story will also expand children’s comprehension and strengthen their vocabulary.

Most of all, make it fun! Fun for you so that you’ll be more likely to repeat the exercise and fun for them so they are eager for more and continue to seek the fuel which will inflame their search for Truth.

Edited by Heather Gaffney