Make the connection between teaching kids values
and their natural spiritual curiosity

UNITY VILLAGE, Mo. – Just for a moment, remember when you were a small child. Think about the feeling you had when you and your mom first wished on a star together ... or when you learned about the Man in the Moon. Remember how good it felt to make an angel in the snow? Remember when the world seemed magical?

If you're looking for ways to be a better parent, don't overlook tapping into the spiritual aspects of your child's natural sense of wonder and curiosity about the world. We've all heard the typical questions a child asks – "Why is the sky blue?" ... "Where do we come from?" Some child development specialists believe that children ask these questions at such young ages because kids have a natural affinity for the spiritual side of life.

Karen Angeles, youth minister at the Unity Village Chapel in Unity Village, Mo., and author of parenting cassette How Old is God? says that "When children are first born they arrive in the world with a sense of wonder and spiritual potential."

Mimi Doe, author of the book 10 Principles for Spiritual Parenting, agrees. In the book's introduction Doe writes that "children are spiritual beings." While Doe considers a child's spirituality to be innate, she observes that parents and other adults often fail to develop that side of their child's personality because they simply don't know how to or don't feel comfortable doing so.

Parents who didn't grow up in a spiritual home may wonder about the value of putting their child on a spiritual path. What difference does it really make if a child has an awareness of the spiritual side of life?

Dr. Lisa Miller, professor of psychotherapy and spirituality at Teachers College, Columbia University, says that having a spiritual grounding can help kids deal with crisis, resist peer pressure and avoid negative influences such as drugs and alcohol. Dr. Miller states that studies have shown that an awareness of universal spirit – however parents define that idea – is "the most protective element for children."

Simple Tips for Spiritual Parenting

Practicing spiritual parenting doesn't have to be hard. Integrating spiritual teaching with guiding your child in learning values and respect for others is, in fact, fairly easy to do. Here are some examples of how to integrate a sense of spirituality into daily family life:

1. Take your child on a "nature walk." Bring a paper bag to collect their favorite leaves, flowers or stones. Explain to your child that these things are beautiful because they were made by God.
2. Remind your child that good manners apply to their conversations with God too. Teach your child that daily prayers before meals or bedtime are their way to say "please" and "thank you" to God.
3. Build spirituality and self-esteem by teaching your child to pray in a positive way: "God is in me, so I am special."
4. Make regular visits together to an elderly relative or friend. Teach your child that God is smiling on the loving attention you are giving to this special person.
5. Teach respect for the wonder of God's earth by planting a little flower garden together and caring for it as it grows.

Parenting spiritually is really just about connecting the morals and values parents normally try to instill in children – like sharing or being kind – with the idea of spiritual purpose and responsibility. Children who start out with a supporting foundation of spirituality are likely to have a greater sense of confidence and self-worth as they grow and be better prepared to deal with the problems life throws their way. And that's what every parent wants.