Celebrating What’s Already True About Your Children
The Quaker emphasis on Truth creates a wonderful jumping off point for conversations with children about special capacities they have (spiritual gifts) and ways those gifts help them to engage with others in ways that are loving and true and help others to be their best selves. Affirmations convey the tone for our Quaker parenting as positive and building on the good already within our children. All gifts, capacities, and abilities are important to create a whole family or community. (See Romans 12:4)
Invite children to make a sticker or draw a picture.
Tell them these are Quaker Affirmation Stickers/pictures that say something that is true about them. Emphasize that they get to choose what that is. Remember, children are fully spiritual beings!
Show them some options: I am Kind; I can Listen; I am a Helper; I am Grateful; I Share Toys & Turns; I Love the Earth.
Parents or caregivers can help support making a choice or two, if needed. Invite the children to decorate stickers with small rubber stamps to make it their own or invite them to draw a picture with their Affirmation highlighting their special gift. A great companion storybook is Jack’s Talent by Maryann Cocca-Leffler.
A Friendly New Year’s Party — Good anytime of the year!
Use the affirmations to celebrate the New Year on a positive note! Raise up what is already true about F/friends and family, saving a litany of resolutions and promises to try harder for another time.
Follow up the Affirmations with “A Bowl of Good Wishes.” Have each family member or F/friend write a wish or hope for someone else. Fold them up and put them in a festive bowl. Settle into a little silence and pass the bowl around, each person drawing out one wish and reading it to the group. Finish the evening with a Game Night for All Ages.
Download the Affirmations
Author: Beth Collea
Publisher: Quaker Religious Education Collaborative
Related File: Click to view/download file
Related Link (or File): Click to go to link