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Here's a physical reminder you can use to make wor- ship a weekly milestone: Make the sign of the cross with your hand, starting at your forehead down to your heart and then across your chest. You can do this before you get out of the car to prepare yourself for the service. Or you can listen close- ly to the service and make the sign of the cross when you say or hear "in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit." As you do, you recognize God's work in your life by remembering your Baptism, receiving anew God's love and mercy, rejoicing in the gift of eternal life, and renewing your faith. You can do this when your pastor starts the service with the Invocation, proclaims the Words of Absolution, or ends the service with the Benediction. Depending on your church's setup, you might even dip your fingers in the baptismal font before or after the service as a further physical connection to your baptismal identity in the water and the Word, claimed as one redeemed by Christ's blood. Sunday School: The human brain is most flexible during the first five years of life. It's a key time when neuropathways form and cognitive, emotional, and social capacities develop. One way parents and caregiv- ers can help with this devel- opment is through music. Singing songs helps children develop important motor skills. And when this is done at Sunday School, children also learn about Jesus' love for them and for the other children in their class in developmentally appropriate ways. Sunday School also provides children a weekly time to hear Bible stories, interact with their peers, and participate in hands-on activities that teach the faith. As your family develops a weekly routine of participat- ing in worship, include time for Sunday School as well. Considering the eternal significance faith holds, it's well worth the investment during these early years of growth. Here's a physical reminder you can use to make Sunday School a weekly milestone: stickers! Give your children stickers or other small tokens each week. As your chil- dren receive the sticker, encourage them to recognize that they're part of God's family story, remind them of God's love, rejoice together in His plan for your life, and be renewed to go back next week to learn more of the story! Oh, and don't forget. Show your children how import- ant Sunday School is by going to an adult Bible class at the same time. When you just drop them off and go elsewhere, you undermine the importance of their Sunday School. Family devotions: Children might see a pastor or Sunday School teacher an hour or so once a week, but they see the people they live with every day! Just as develop- ing a weekly rhythm of worship and age-appropriate teaching are key milestones in the faith, so is devel- oping a regular time for family devotions. It doesn't need to be long or elaborate. And parents don't need a seminary degree to lead it. The key is to set aside a consistent time to come before the Lord as a family. Perhaps this happens at the end of dinner or before bedtime. A parent or older sibling could read a devotion- al thought or passage of Scrip- ture. And together, you can bring prayer requests to God. Here's a physical reminder you can use to make family devo- tions a regular milestone: Create a prayer board. Children can color pictures that you pin to the fridge or a separate board. Draw things you're thankful for, list names of people to pray for, and ask for God's care over your family. As you develop your prayer board, you'll be invited to recognize God work- ing in your life, remember how He's answered previous requests, receive the people and things He brings into your life, rejoice in His faithfulness, and be renewed in your prayer life. During early childhood, more is taught through experi- ence than words. And a lot is caught! Young minds are soaking up the world around them, setting the founda- tion for their lives. Christian families have the opportu- nity to build their children's foundation firmly on Jesus Christ, our chief cornerstone and teacher for life. w 2 3 As they learn to say "grandma" and "grandpa," they can also learn to say "Jesus loves me." Lutheran Life 9

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