Helping Children Learn their Faith at Home

It is important for parents to remember that they have the greatest influence on the faith lives of their children.  As one curriculum titles it, Parents as Resident Theologians, parents are the ones who help interpret faith and culture to their children.

I found a website to help with just that!

http://www.vibrantfaithathome.org

From the website:  Studies are consistent with a simple, yet profound conclusion: parental faith has the single most powerful influence over whether or not our children and youth have faith. If it’s is important to parents, it becomes important to their children. The opposite is also true: if faith is not important to parents, it will likely not become important to their children.

When parents genuinely live their faith through the day, through the season, through the year, then they pass it along to their children. Take a look at these helpful articles and activities:

Waiting for a Cue – every child waits for a faith cue. Great article for parents of young children.
Ten Commandment Magnets – there’s more to them than do’s and don’ts. Young families will have fun and learn some faith basics with this activity.
Walking with Youth – pay attention and listen for signs of grace. Terrific guidance for parents of pre-teens and adolescents.
Images of God Today – what images of God work for you and your family. Easy, yet powerful conversation/learning activity for parents and teens.

Welcome to Vibrant Faith @ Home! This interactive resource is designed to give you unlimited access to easy-to-use tools, tips, family activities, and advice--everything you need to build a stronger, more faith-focused family.

Check out this great resource for parents & families!

You are the ethicist!

How would you answer this question?

I’m a math teacher at an international school in Mombasa, Kenya, and a woman who cleans some of the teachers’ apartments offered me her services. Here’s the problem: She is asking for only 300 Kenyan shillings, or about $3.50, for two hours of work. She will be cleaning my bathroom and my kitchen, as well as the floor and my clothing. To me, her work is worth much more than $3.50, and it feels wrong to accept without providing what I believe to be fair payment. If I pay her more, however, she might raise her prices for other customers or pressure my co-workers to pay more than they are willing. What should I do: accept the price she has offered or pay her adequately for her services?

You can read the answer by the NY Times ethicist here.

or how would you answer this?

My mother-in-law tells the server at any restaurant we’re dining at that it’s someone’s birthday so that she can receive a free piece of cake. She’s happy to pay a $500 tab, but she insists on making up that someone at the table is celebrating. Your thoughts?

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American Saints

We have studied the faith of the Founding Fathers & Mothers; we have examined the religions born in America.  This year for our Fall Bible Study we will examine...

American Saints

We will begin Wednesday, October 3 -
classes at 10:30 AM and 7:30 PM
(and continue through November 14)

Each class will look at three saints: their lives, writings, faith, connect it with Scripture and ask how they can help us with our lives today.

Stay tuned for more details!

(Source Book: A Year With American Saints by Cady and Webber)

You are the ethicist!

This week...

I recently had a party and afterward had quite a few large bottles of leftover wine (they were opened and wouldn’t keep). There is a particular corner in my neighborhood where benign “drunkards” hang out and drink. They have done so for years, and everyone accepts this as part of our neighborhood. My question is, Should I drop this mother lode of wine off on their perch for them (because who am I to judge their choices?), or pour it down the drain (which would be a “waste”)?

How would you answer?  Here is how the ethicist answered.

Last week...

My 92-year-old father has entered hospice care. He is a lifelong member of one particular political party and is always the first one in line on voting day. There’s no way I can get him to his polling place this November, and while he couldn’t begin to fill out an absentee ballot on his own, is it ethical if I fill it out for him provided he’s still alive in November?

How would you answer?  Here is how the ethicist answered.