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"God teaches us how we are to accept our children by the way he accepts us."
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Introduction
Have you ever sat on the floor of your preschool room at church just to watch and listen to the boys and girls as they enjoy their activities? As a parent, have you sat back and enjoyed watching and listening to your preschooler(s)? If so, you are well aware of how they differ from one another as well as how they are similar. If not, you are encouraged to do so during your next session or stop now and go enjoy your children. God has truly blessed you with the opportunity to teach and/or parent today’s preschoolers. You have the timeless opportunity to influence the leaders of tomorrow as you guide your boys and girls during these important years. In fact, the preschoolers in your group or home today will take Jesus Christ to a world you will never know. God is using everything you are doing with them to guide each one of your preschoolers to lay spiritual foundations that will last their lifetimes. Upon these spiritual foundations they will let God minister through them to their world. Why should you take the time to watch and listen to your boys and girls? They are sending you messages and signals that help you understand the way God made them. God created each one of them in His image and to glorify Him. In this sense, teaching and parenting preschoolers is an act of worship that is pleasing to God. In addition, God is teaching you how to teach and parent your preschoolers. He has given you these children as gifts with the promise to guide you to be the best parent and/or teacher. That is what this book is about. It is designed to be a tool for both parents and teachers in understanding the common characteristics and needs that God gives all preschoolers. This book also provides insights and suggestions in accepting and helping preschoolers deal with various life situations in which they might find themselves. Through prayer, God will help you understand each unique child and his unique life situation. When you understand your preschoolers individually the way God created them and their life situations, you are truly able to let God use you in their lives. For example, when you accept that preschoolers are sensitive, you will know to teach them in ways that allows them to stay in their comfort zones. God made them to be sensitive, so why would you get upset when a child gets upset over something trivial from your perspective? With this understanding, carefully plan learning opportunities that will avoid making a child feel uncomfortable. Consequently, effective teaching and parenting is based on a positive understanding of the way God created boys and girls and their life situations. AppreciationMany thanks to the group of Southern Baptist leaders of preschoolers who designed and guided the development of this resource: Anita Bice (LifeWay Christian Resources—Music) Derrell Billingsley (LifeWay Christian Resources—Music) Pamela Boucher (LifeWay Christian Resources—Pastor-Staff) Pat Brown (LifeWay Christian Resources—Christian Schools) Larry Dry (LifeWay Christian Resources—Discipleship and Family) Landry Holmes (LifeWay Christian Resources—Sunday School) Saundria Keck (LifeWay Christian Resources—Marketing) Jeff Large (LifeWay Christian Resources—Magazines) Cindy Lumpkin (LifeWay Christian Resources—Sunday School) Marcia McQuitty (Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary) Hazel Morris (Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary) Rhonda Reeves (Woman’s Missionary Union—Mission Friends®) Joye Smith (Woman’s Missionary Union—Mission Friends®) Jerry Vogel (LifeWay Christian Resources—Sunday School) Morlee Maynard has served as coordinator and staff writer of this project. She is the ministry coordination specialist with LifeWay Church Resources, and she teaches babies at Forest Hills Baptist Church in Nashville. Dr. Jerry Aldridge has contributed the section “God Calls Parents and Teachers to Take Care of People.” He is the coordinator of early childhood education in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. He directs the Happy Singers Choir for persons with disabilities in his church, Dawson Memorial Baptist Church in Birmingham. Suggestions for Ways to Use this ResourceAs you read and study each article, consider your own preschoolers. You will not find pictures of preschoolers in this resource because we want to provide you with an inexpensive tool for developing your teaching skills. We also want you to think of your preschoolers. To enhance your experience with this book, take pictures of your boys and girls as a group then individually. Lay the pictures on the table nearby as you read the articles. As a parent, you probably have many pictures to use for this purpose. As you read an article, apply the discussion to each child. How does the information relate to him or her? Use the discussion to prompt a desire to know more about each child. As you reflect on each discussion, consider each child by taking notes on how the information applies to each specific child. You will find suggestions throughout this resource. To help you collect information about each child, print out the Preschool Portfolio. Make a copy for each child. As you read the articles, fill out the portfolio. If you are filling out a portfolio about your own child, date your answers and comments. Keep the portfolio in a safe place where you can update the changes in your preschooler. You will be amazed by how quickly your child grows and develops. If you are a teacher, discuss the portfolio about each child with the other teachers. This information will guide you in selecting effective teaching approaches that will meet the needs and interests of each child in your group In order to meet your needs as parents and teachers, you have choices as to how you will engage this resource. Some of you have access to the Internet and enjoy learning from electronic media. Others of you prefer print material that you can see, touch, and smell. In addition, as a church leader, you may want to consider using this resource in bits and pieces instead of giving your teachers the entire resource at one time. Whatever your approach, select one or more of the following options for using this resource: Download: An Adobe Acrobat version of this resource may be downloaded at no cost. You are welcome to make copies for others in your church or school. Or print out specific articles as you need them. You will need a copy of the Adobe Acrobat Reader in order to view/print this version. Text: A text is available for $5.95 plus shipping (ISBN: 0633013838). Call 1-800-458-2772 to place an order. Please allow three weeks for printing and shipping. As you use this resource, resist the temptation to compare the boys and girls. Development in all areas has a wide range for what is considered “normal.” This wide range means preschoolers will develop skills at their own rates and in their own ways. The more you understand each child, the more effective you will be as a parent and teacher for each individual child. Leadership Development Resource Series This resource is part of a series of leadership resources designed to equip teachers and parents as they let God use them in the lives of preschoolers. The information you will explore in this resource answers the who and why questions. Who do we teach? Why do we teach the way we do? The what question will always be answered with the Bible. The Bible guides us in becoming Christlike in all that we do and say. It is our source of information that leads us to our living Lord. The resources listed below help teachers and parents learn how to teach preschoolers. They are the basic teaching books that provide information about the teaching methods that work well at home and at church. You will also find below the resources that answer the when and where questions regarding teaching preschoolers. These are the administration resources for the various ministries that assist parents in guiding their preschoolers to God. In addition to this resource and the Bible, additional resources are listed below and are available by calling 1-800-458-2772 or click on the title to purchase from LifeWaystores.com: Parents Discipleship Training Mission Friends® Preschool Choir Sunday School Weekday Early Education |
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