I'm teaching Jeannie the Ten Commandments. She's got the first three, and we really just started late last week. Not only do I ant her to memorize them I want her to understand them, at her level. My concern is how to translate them so they make sense to her. Some are easy, but others aren't. I'm concerned I didn't explain what an idol is properly. I told her we are to only pray to God, not something silly like her table and chairs. I told her long ago some people prayed to statues and things like that, that were not God. I can't think of a way to translate the commandment about adultery. When I taught Children's Church and did the commandments, when we got to that one I said 'be true to your husband or wife. Those kids were older than Jeanne, though. Any ideas? I'm also helping her( and myself) to memorize Scripture using my Awana Sparks handbooks. I'm happy to say she knows John 3:16!! I explained it to her as well as I thought I could so she'd understand. I can't wait for the day she gets saved!!! What a treat!!
Vicki had to learn the Ten Commandments for Children's Church. She is six years old. They way I taught her about adultery was I told her Daddy can't have a girlfriend and Mommy can't have a boyfriend. She was happy with that. The first commandment I told her that we can't love anything more than God. She can't love her toys or anything more than God. I hope this helps some.
I was a T&T Director (Awana) at our old church. I taught the 10 Commandments by changing each of their numbers into a picture to represent that commandment: 1--make into a cross to represent only one God and nothing before Him 2--make it into a person kneeling and praying to represent idol worship 3--turn it sideways and make into lips to show that we are not to use God's name in vain 4--make it into a church building to remember the Sabboth 5--we just made two little 5's to go with it to represent a family (honor mother and father) 6--turn it sideways and make into a gun (don't murder) 7--make into a diamond ring to represent not breaking the marriage covenant 8--make into handcuffs to show not to steal 9--draw a face and long nose (Pinocchio) to show not to lie 10--we made the one into a dollar sign and the zero into a CD to represent things we are not to covet I got those from another Awana Director on their website. I have never had a group of kids memorize them all in one day like that! It worked beautifully. About teaching to her ability to understand.....you know your daughter better than anyone so go with your gut on it. We have been painfully honest at times when it required it. There was a boy at our home once who had been molested and told our kids about it. We went straight to God's Word to Leviticus to read to them what God's rules are about looking and touching. It was so much easier to let the Lord explain it to them. We have found in more recent years that the Lord knew our kids would need that kind of thing engraved in their precious little minds early on. We are so glad we were open and honest when we felt the leading to be. Also, with adultery, we explained to our kids what God's ideal is for every married person: to only display "husband/wife" affection to your spouse and nothing outside of that marriage relationship is good for us--pre-, post-, or extra-marrital relationships. We might sound extreme, but we believe that even kissing should be saved for your betrothed in God's perfect plan for marriage. We've been very comfortable and blessed by the approach we have taken.
Becky....... I first told my boys (to give them encouragemnt and a *HEY I can learn this spirit)that there were about 600 laws in the Mosaic law covenant...So we don't want you to learn ALL of them, but a few .So HEY can we memorize only 10 :lol: They then thought: Hey no problem.... On explaining them.....I use scriptures...One the idols we went to the Bible and how it talks about how silly idols/images are: They have mouths, but can't speak: Eyes, but can't see,etc..the scriptures talk about how a man uses a tree and chops woods. Then makes a fire and makes food himself and warms himself. Then decides to carve an image from the left over wood, and say THIS IS GOD!...Silly story :lol: . It helped to understand that one... As far adultery, I agree with Brooke.....straightforward! We told the boys that this means that no one can lay down in the bed with mommy or daddy. That is another man or woman.. I agree too about withholding affection. We likened it to a chain....If you start with the first link, yes like kissing (as innocent as it may sound) it MAY lead to the next link.. Why go down that road? I use the example of Joseph and Potiphar's wife... He didn't stick around to find out what she was going to do ...HE RAN!....So this is some of what we shared with our boys....
One way we were helped to memorize was with a video called The Original Top Ten. It sets the commandments to music and helps even the youngest understand each one. It sparks conversation and they know the songs by heart and go around singing them because they are so upbeat.
Until she's older I guess I'll just tell her, for the adultery, that I have to love her dad and he has to love me. She's a smarty, but I don't want to use any words I'll have to define, KWIM? She has two boy-friends, Jacob and David. I would just confuse her if I went that way. Another helpful thing we have is a cassette called God's Top Ten. Each song is about one of the commandments. She wears it out.( I feel like I mentioned this already! :? ) Hey Brooke- what's T&T? Did you notice I'm using Sparks books to help her with memorizing verses? 8)
T&T stands for "Truth & Training". It is for 3-6 graders. I have only been with Awana a couple years. I believe that T&T replaced the Pals, Chums, Guards stuff, according to Dh who was an Awana kid himself.
