Many people are shocked that a two-year-old can answer catechism questions and memorize Bible verses. They think it is a lot of work and time. It’s not.
I started catechism with my son once he started talking more clearly at around 18-months by asking him, “Who made you?” followed by “What is God’s Word?”. For the first few days after starting, I would answer for him and have him repeat, but soon enough he independently and easily replied, “God”, and “Bible”. I began with questions that had one-or two-word answers, adding two new questions to learn at a time, and spending a week or so memorizing the given questions before adding two more. He builds on what he has memorized, meaning that we don’t just stop practicing “Who made you?” and “What is God’s Word?”, but he responds to all the questions he knows and to the questions he is learning. Currently he responds independently to 19 catechism questions and 3 Bible verses. It doesn’t take long for me to ask him these questions and it doesn’t take long for him to respond.
How does this fit into our day?
Well, on a typical day, he eats his breakfast while I have my coffee and I read the Bible aloud so that he is hearing Scripture. Then, we usually play or work in the yard for a half hour or so. Then, I say, “Lesson time” and he comes running and saying, “Lesson! Lesson!” I spend about 10-20 minutes with him teaching him a short, age-appropriate lesson that involves Bible story, catechism, a letter of the week, words that correspond to the letter of the week, number recognition, counting, shapes, colors, and a few other rotational topics or a lesson specific craft. If we have to go out in the morning, then we say catechism while we are in the car, I put on some letter and number songs, and I talk to him about the letter of the week and practice counting.
In addition to our short, structured lesson time, he is encouraged to be a helper in the home by participating in tasks such as putting laundry away, sorting silverware, working in the yard, and putting his toys away. We do all those things together, but he is involved in the daily projects that go on in the home. I love when we are doing laundry together and he takes his short stack of folded laundry, looks back at me and says, “Love you. See you later.” Then, he proceeds to his room, puts his clothes in his drawer, and comes running out saying, “Another job! Another job!” So, I hand him a short stack of daddy’s clothes to lay on his nightstand or the bed, or kitchen towels to be put away. His pattern of good-byes and asking for another job to do continues until we have finished the task. You may be wondering, what does a toddler laundry job look like? It looks like jumbled drawers and joy! He is learning life-skills as he participates in taking care of our home.
We also emphasize doing things cheerfully and often have to come alongside him to work through his frustrations when something isn’t going his way. We also have a pattern of consistent discipline for disobedience and Fussy Dragon followed by assurance of our love for him, prayer to God, and restoring fellowship before going back to work or play. Once he has received the rod of correction, his attitude improves tremendously, and we are back in fellowship and back on track. The point I’m making here is that full, flourishing days are not without their challenges, frustrations, and breaks for discipline. It is important to be calm, joyful, and patient and to discipline consistently throughout all the daily happenings whether at home or while you are out and about. We all fail! I know that. However, I would suggest that the failings to be calm, joyful, and patient should be fewer as we are sanctified and as we draw our strength from Christ and seek to be obedient hearers and doers of His word. So, yes, we fail, but by the grace of God, we are enabled to be more consistently calm, joyful, patient, cheerful, and full of the Fruit of the Spirit. By His grace, you can do it!
I say all this not to boast but as an encouragement.
Throughout my classroom teaching experience, I gently urged parents of children of various ages to believe that their kids are smart and extremely capable. When we hold our kids to a high standard, lovingly and expectantly, they will meet it. I’m not talking about being a drill sergeant with a boot camp schedule, making life a painful grind with hours of painstaking work and interrogation. That would not be God-honoring but rather self-seeking. The reality is that our days are full of joy, peace, creativity, laughter, and encouragement to be obedient followers of Jesus Christ. There is structure and routine as well as room for spontaneity and the unexpected things of life.
Another important consideration is that toddlers are asking questions! Right now, my two-year old’s favorite questions, all day long, and on repeat, are “What is this?”, “Where did that come from?”, and “How did that happen?” Do I answer the same questions repeatedly? Yes! With calmness, patience, and gentleness, I answer over and over. Why? Because, he is learning about the world around him and needs those questions answered and solidified. If you have spent any length of time around little ones, you know that they love songs on repeat and ask you to read the same story over and over (hence the grammar stage in classical education). This is how God has wired little children.
I delight in the following quote by G.K. Chesterton regarding this matter:
“Because children have abounding vitality, because they are in spirit fierce and free, therefore they want things repeated and unchanged. They always say, “Do it again”; and the grown-up person does it again until he is nearly dead. For grown-up people are not strong enough to exult in monotony. But perhaps God is strong enough to exult in monotony. It is possible that God says every morning, “Do it again” to the sun; and every evening, “Do it again” to the moon. It may not be automatic necessity that makes all daisies alike; it may be that God makes every daisy separately, but has never got tired of making them. It may be that He has the eternal appetite of infancy; for we have sinned and grown old, and our Father is younger than we.”
Be the one who establishes truth in the life of your children. Beware of, and repent of, the ways you are stunting them by abdicating responsibility and entrusting their enculturation to Sesame Street-or whatever they are watching these days. This is particularly important if you have one that is defiant and disobedient. Consider making sure that you are providing healthy meals and snacks, a good, reliable sleep schedule, and limiting (or eliminating) screens. You may also need to let go of your personal annoyance by simply letting them ask the same questions and providing them the answers, sing them the same song again, or read them the same book over and over.
“Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD, the fruit of the womb, a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one’s youth.” -Psalm 127:3-5
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Mama Lamb 