We’ve been having the Great Preschool Debate at our house
this past week. I know it is late in the
game to be discussing preschool options, but we’ve been trying to decide
whether to keep Daniel at his current preschool or make a change, and I’ve
found myself obsessively thinking about preschool pros and cons. Should he be in a place where he is loved to
pieces or a place that is highly accredited?
Is being fed a healthy snack important to the decision process? Or is it better to send him somewhere that
will feed him Puffs but has certified elementary school teachers? Add all of these questions to the fact that
as a high school teacher, I don’t know what to look for in early childhood
education, and I’ve just felt overwhelmed by this decision. Most people tell me that Daniel will be fine
academically no matter what we do for preschool – Andy and I are educated
parents who talk to him often, read to him, and limit screen time. But, in full disclosure, I’m not intentional
about his educational development. I don’t
try to teach him letters or numbers on any kind of regular basis. I try to talk to him about colors, but it isn’t
something I always remember to do. I don’t
think I’ve ever said anything to him about shapes. I am intentional, instead, about teaching him
to be brave – to try new things, to be adventurous, to explore. I rarely tell him to “be careful.” I am focused on helping him learn to share
and take turns and be kind. We are
intentional about social skills – like saying hello and bye, please and thank
you. I know all of those lessons I’m
teaching him are important, but are they as important as his academic
development? Are we going to ruin him
for life by sending him to a preschool that isn’t filling in the gaps of what I’m
not doing at home? I know this is crazy, but that question has
actually kept me up at night this week.
And then, on Saturday, I came home from shopping, and I
found Daniel on the couch with his Bible.
He didn’t even come to the door to welcome me home when I called to
him. Instead, he stayed where he was,
flipping the pages, saying “Bible, Bible.”
Andy looked up from the computer and told me that they had just read
three Bible stories and said a prayer.
The background story is that I had recently started having morning quiet
times on the couch with Daniel in addition to family prayer time before Andy
leaves for work.
Watching him sitting alone with his Bible was precious. And I felt a peace in my spirit that this is what truly mattered. It reminded me of the scripture in Luke 10
when Jesus told Martha that Mary had chosen “what is better” when she decided
to sit at his feet instead of helping Martha with housework. Saturday was a reminder that teaching Daniel
about Jesus is always better
than anything else.
As parents, we all have things we are passionate and
intentional about teaching our children and other traits and skills we struggle
to teach. I don’t think I’m the only one
who wonders if I’m doing the right things for my child – if he is in the right
preschool or learning the right skills or playing with the right toys. I have a feeling I’m not the only one who obsessively
reads parenting articles and debates almost every disciplining decision. And I’m not saying all those decisions aren’t
important or that academics and social skills shouldn’t be taught. But what I am saying is that there is
something better to teach our children.
Better than ABCs or baseball or please and thank you is Jesus. He is the way, the truth, and the life. Teaching our children to know and love him is
the very best gift we can give them.
Because, in the end, if they go to the best colleges and get the best
jobs and are the most successful athletes, but don’t know Jesus, what is their
life worth?
As I looked at Daniel “reading” his Bible this weekend, I
got to thinking that there is really not much parenting advice in the
Bible. The scripture that stood out to
me as having the most specific advice, though, is also one we had read at our
wedding. It is Deuteronomy 6:6-9 which
says, “These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when
you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind
them on your foreheads. Write them on the
door frames of your houses and on your gates.”
Making sure Daniel knows his ABCs might be a good thing, but much better
than that is making sure God’s word is present and obvious in our home. Talking about Jesus and praying together and
sharing praises is the parenting God desires.
And, while I’m still not sure we’ve made the best preschool decision, I
know the Holy Spirit is equipping us to teach Daniel about Jesus – and that is
more important than anything else.
