In
this opening lesson your child was welcomed to
kindergarten--both as an individual and as a member of a
Catholic Christian community. It is important that
children
feel part of the Christian community--especially your
parish community--as they begin to explore together what
it means to belong to the family of God.
Your
child now begins a kindergarten program in learning
their Catholic faith. You may have spent time preparing
your child for this new step, even without thinking
about it. You have probably, informally and gently, been
teaching your child about God and about God's love. Now
you will want to take an even more active role in
guiding your child's growth in Catholic faith. Here are
some ways the kindergarten program might assist you.
- Talk
about each lesson together, including the pictures
and artwork. Encourage a free-flowing conversation
about the Faith Summary statements. The
symbol reminds you to help your child learn the Faith
Summary by heart. You might ask a question for
each statement.
- Invite
your child to share with you any songs, poems,
experiences of prayer that have been learned or
shared. Even before truths of our Catholic faith are
fully understood, they can be absorbed through a
favorite song or prayer.
- Use
the Faith Alive at Home and in the Parish
pages (this is the first of them) to continue and to
expand your child's catechesis through the
experience of the community of faith in your family
and in the parish family. There will be a variety of
activities on these pages. Try to do one or two with
your child as time permits. Select the ones that
will work for your family.
Family
Scripture Moment is offered as a unique
opportunity for the family to share faith by
"breaking open" God's word together. The
"moment" can be as brief or as long as you
wish. A simple outline is suggested as one way to use
this time together.
- Gather
together as a family. All can participate from the
youngest to the oldest.
- Listen
to God's word as it is read, slowly and
expressively, by a family member.
- Share
what you hear from the reading that touches your
own life. Give time for each one to do this.
- Consider
the points suggested as a way to come to a deeper
understanding of God's word.
- Reflect
on and share any new understandings.
- Decide
as a family how you will try to live God's word.
For
this kindergarten year, some of the psalms of the Old
Testament and some psalm-like excerpts from the New
Testament will be suggested.
RETURN
TO FAITH AT HOME INDEX
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