Tips for Talking with Your Kids About Worship
Make the worship experience more personally meaningful for your family by sharing conversation after leaving the Fellowship. We know you have a busy afternoon after worship, but the ride home is a great time to share ‘car conversations.’ Talk about your experience in worship and listen to your children’s thoughts about the morning.
Start the conversation by sharing your own thoughts and feelings with something like: “When we sang _____ in worship today, I felt _____. What did you think about that song?”
Be specific. Name one thing you saw or heard during worship. Ask your children to do the same and see where the conversation goes. Don’t worry about having a larger end goal or making a point or moral connection when you start the conversation. The goal is the conversation – sharing a moment and connecting with your child.
If your child has something to share, listen. Affirm their response by saying something positive. Maybe then ask them another question. Remember – open-ended questions are the best questions. “Why”, “how”, or “what” are good ways to start. Then listen some more.
Short conversations can be deeply meaningful. It doesn’t have to be a long talk to matter! Just start somewhere.
Sometimes children ask tough questions about worship or god or liturgy. It’s ok to say, “I don’t know” or “Let’s find out together.” Follow up together and find those answers. You can always schedule a time to talk with the Minister or the Director of Religious Education.