How Young is Too Young to Have "The Talk"??
No, not that talk. My daughter is only 3 for goodness sake. I'm talking about the God talk. My little girl is only a toddler, but she is obsessed with God.
We go to church just about every Sunday and have been ever since she was born. Her fascination with God didn't actually begin until I told her that my grandmother--my dad's mother--was in heaven with God. Immediately, I could see the wheels in her head begin to churn. At the time, she asked why she was in heaven and when she would get to see her. I somehow dodged those questions, but over the last few months she's continued to ask about God and heaven and my grandmother in heaven.
It all got even more serious this weekend when we were getting ready for church. I was putting on my daughter shoes and she asked where we were going. I told her to church to say thank you to God and she started balling. Like hyperventilating, crocodile tears, the works. When I asked her what was wrong, she said she missed God and my grandma and she wanted to see them. Eek. What was I supposed to say? I finally decided to tell her that if she prayed, God would help her see Him in her own way. Worked... that time.
But the praying solution opened up a whole other can of worms. Now in addition to wanting to see where God lives, my daughter also wants to know how He hears her when she prays. And how He protects her no matter where she goes. I've been going to church my entire life and consider my relationship with God pretty solid, but I'm no biblical scholar and this is hard stuff to explain to a 3-year-old.
So recently, I've been deferring to my parents. My daughter will ask, "Why can't I see God and your grandma?" and I'll say, "Let's wait until we see grandpa and ask him." I know it's awful, but who knew she would be so intrigued by this?
Anyone else's kid on a God kick? How are you handling it? Please, please share your advice in the comments.
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