SPIRITUAL DEVELOPMENT IN YOUNG CHILDREN

        SPIRITUAL DEVELOPMENT IN YOUNG CHILDREN

      (Article featured in: ETA Journal - Switzerland - Vol.39; No.1; Summer 2022)

“Spirituality refers to the child's relationship to a higher power, whether that be nature, God, the universe - even a tree. The key is that the force has a guiding and active place in the child's daily life.” – Lisa Miller

The holistic development of a child includes physical, social, emotional, spiritual, intellectual and linguistic development. However, spiritual development has not been understood or researched as well as the other areas of child development. Moreover, there is this misconception that promoting spiritual development in a child is equal to imparting religious education as it is difficult to separate spirituality from religion. But the fact is that, religion without spirituality is dangerous and detrimental to oneself and to the world around. 

Children have an innate inclination towards spirituality. They have no difficulty in believing in things that are not visible to the human eye. They live in the moment and are naturally curious about the world around them. Young children may not really understand the seriousness of this aspect of development but as an adult we must inculcate spirituality in them; qualities of kindness, compassion, empathy and love of nature to name a few.  These foundations make children rational and deep thinkers, resilient and patient in times of trials and difficulties.

Theories and research studies support the correlation between spiritual development, well-being, and academic achievements. Spiritual development in children can help the world to become more just, egalitarian and full of opportunities for one and all. Children learn to recognize, respect and accept individual differences with dignity and love. They learn to protect the earth and work towards its preservation and protection. It raises children to partake in and contribute to society in positive ways.

What role can parents play in the spiritual development of their children?

Decide your take on spirituality: You have to decide what you believe in. Do you believe in God and in the divinity of creation? Do you believe in life after death? It’s not only about you but also about your child. You have to decide on the spiritual course your child will take on; Ask yourself - will your child pursue religious education and which faith would he/she follow? If you and your spouse / partner are from different religious orientations then you have to decide on your approach to your child’s spirituality and prevent him/her from undue stress and confusion in later life that may arise due to the non-clarity of your own beliefs. You may not believe in the existence of God, but a day will come when your child will ask you – Who is God? Where is God? You need to know your take on these questions.

Start early in life: A child’s mind is a treasure chest of wonder and imagination. Children are dynamic learners, amazing visualizers and have an uncanny art of bringing ideas to life. Their imagination is free from all dependencies. A child may not know who a grandparent is but still you start talking to your child about his/her grandparents early on in life, because you want your child to know how important they are and the child believes your word even when he/she has not seen them. Similarly, children believe in God as they take your word for it.

Big ideas and ordinary actions: Spirituality should be made an inseparable part of our daily lives. Every day is an opportunity to connect with nature. A walk in the park, a morning by the sea, a cup of milk (for your child) and coffee (for you) by the window provides innumerable opportunities to discuss about nature, its beauty and its blessings. Every day at the table, talking about the blessing of having food and at bed time thanking the Lord for a blessed day – these daily experiences promote spiritual development in young children.

Children are nature lovers by birth: Children love to be outdoors, explore the environment, and indulge in heuristic play. Talk the walk – be the role model – jump in the puddle; dance in the rain; chase a butterfly; plant trees, clean your immediate environment; water the plants; feed the birds; visit the zoo and indulge in natural experiences with your child. Communicate your love of Mother Earth to children. They see you do it and they follow.

Be the story teller: Children love stories. Tell stories from religious texts and mythology in a simplified language. Children have an amazing ability to comprehend ideas when told in a story form. This will encourage imagination, curiosity and foster a literal interpretation of the religious Scriptures and most importantly seek rational and logic behind these stories. They become rational thinkers rather than just blind followers later on in life.

Build family connections: Family traditions should be passed on to your children. These may not necessarily be religious traditions. These help children to connect to each other, instill the importance of a family, and feel valued by being a member of it. They learn to contribute, add value and enhance the fabric of familial ties thus strengthening them and developing life long bonds. Children prefer to stay home than to involve in family gatherings. Discourage them from doing so. Make them a part of such gatherings so that they meet their extended family members, learn from them, connect with them and develop a sense of belonging and feel socially accepted.  

Encourage the spirit of giving: ‘Giving’ enriches and brings immense joy and internal peace. Teach your children to give away their possessions to the less privileged. This act of charity instills in the young a sense of sharing, caring and empathy and in the process they develop the most critical virtue of love for mankind over love of material.

Educate them on diversity: By employing various means, show them children around the world - where they see the diversity and the inequalities prevalent round the globe. You play a significant role in teaching children respect, tolerance and acceptance towards differences of all sorts. They grow up to be individuals with broad mindsets and big hearts who champion the cause of equality and inclusivity.

The role that childcare practitioners play:

Child care practitioners should promote and nurture in children spiritual development which is an extension of social and emotional development.

Educators need to strengthen a sense of self, nurture curiosity, kindle amazement and ignite learning that leads to an existence of empathy and care. By knowing one self, children develop connections, and learn social behaviors such as sharing, caring, respect, empathy and compassion. This aspect of personality helps children to develop, explore, grow and play in a conducive environment filled with cooperation and togetherness. They wonder and in their wondering, they ask, reflect and contemplate on the meaning of life, truth, justice, peace and death. They question about their own existence and never tire of exploring the world around them, tangible as well as the intangible. The constant ‘why’ and ‘how’ questions asked by the young may drive adults crazy at times but these questions steer the young mind into the realm of philosophy and ethics.

To conclude, infusing spirituality in children will be a major step towards making this world a better place to live in, where life is cherished and is meaningful, and where peaceful co-existence is a living reality. These aspirations of a world without violence, injustice, and oppression would only be achieved when the very foundations of our children’s upbringing rest on compassion, love, mercy, empathy, and trust.