explaining lent to kids

For Roman Catholic children, the rules for fasting (before age 18) and meat abstinence (before age 14) typically don’t apply; Note how it usually feels better to “come clean” after withholding the truth or telling lies to cover up lies. “Lent” comes from this word for “lengthening.” (See the definition I used at dictionary.com.). Tell the story of Jesus’ life. Psst! Lent is a time of preparation for the celebration of Christ's … Young children have a hard time understanding Lent. What a perfect time to teach children of Jesus: His life, and His teachings. So Lent lasts 40 days (plus Sundays). Suggest that your child think about Lent as a way to get closer to God. Like Chasing Those Moments on Facebook to join the community and keep up with the latest. Since Lent is baptismal in nature, … And MAN, have I earned my fair share of character in these 10+ years of mothering. The days leading up to Easter Sunday’s joyful celebrations of Jesus’ resurrection from the dead are dark, somber, and full of mourning. What is Lent? It referred to the lengthening of daylight hours in springtime. Many a curious child might ask, ‘why pancakes?’. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. I took the kids to the grocery store with me because I love taking my kids into public. wikiHow's. He endured much torture and false accusations, culminating in a criminal’s execution. Resurrection Moments has kid-friendly devotions for Ash Wednesday, each Sunday in Lent, and every day of Holy Week. (This post contains affiliate links. He wants to see you suffer, unlike God. Monks practice silence in order to better hear God. By signing up you are agreeing to receive emails according to our privacy policy. She loves helping families make the most of everyday moments to invest in the hearts of their children. Go to Church. Lent for Modern Catholic Kids — Daily Reflections and Prayers: First of all, Lent is a season during the Christian year where Christians focus on repentance, prayer, and fasting in order to grow closer to God. We are baptized as a public example that we are a follower of Jesus. Absolutely! The Lenten Season is a great time to teach children how to pray, how to give of themselves, how to serve others, and how to love as Jesus loves. During Lent … It builds character. Older kids can read to the family or on their own. Lent isn’t simply a “countdown” or something to “get through” — it’s a chance to set aside distractions and focus on your relationship with the Lord. This book – called Resurrection Moments – is available here in the Chasing Those Moments Shop! According to Christianity, Jesus rose from the dead and that's why we celebrate Easter. Swagbucks has blessed my family tremendously! Tell younger kids that all the celebrating that surrounds Easter should remind us of the joy of knowing how much Jesus loves us, and that he showed us the path to eternal life. The excitement of the coming holiday creates a desire to learn about it and listen to the reasons behind it. I wish they had this so easy when I was. Moses went up and communed with God on Mt. The goal is to fill the void with an invigorated prayer life and … Lent is a time of preparation for Easter, the Christian holiday that celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ. or do something to bring them closer to As you feel the pang of hunger or the craving for sugar, you are reminded to pray. Point out that Jesus used his forty days to get away from distractions and commune with God. Paint and decorate Easter eggs together. The idea of Lent and the driving principles behind it can be difficult for children to understand. Sundays are not counted in the 40 days. "Kids and Holiness: Making Lent Meaningful to Children." ‘Why do we eat them on a Tuesday?’ And, ‘what do they have to do with Jesus?’. See the post The Jesse Tree for more about this awesome family experience. Discussing the details and traditions of Lent in kid-friendly ways will aid in their understanding, especially if you make a point to experience Lent together with the child. Families and congregations can set aside this time for special study, prayer, or weekly fellowship. Keep spending quality time together. We sacrifice things that are hurting our relationships … You don’t have to expect your child to make a huge, symbolic sacrifice for forty days. The season of Lent starts on Ash Wednesday and ends on Easter, lasting for 40 days (not counting Sundays). Lent is the period of forty days which comes before Easter in the Christian calendar, traditionally a time of fasting and reflection. Your child can fast by giving up a luxury, refraining from arguing with his or her siblings, or striving not to talk back to his or her parents. Over and over in Judges, the “people had rest for forty years” (Judges 3:11; 5:31; 8:28). For the time being, have them follow your lead, and allow them to formulate their own opinions. References. stand as a respite from the regular rhythms of life. How does one communicate the sober reality of Good Friday leading to the celebration of Easter and Lent Sunday with children? (for children) Easter is when we celebrate God raising Jesus to new life after his death on a cross. It is the very foundation of the Christian faith. They too can benefit from Lent by pushing aside at least some of the distractions of the world. I will be compensated for any purchase made through my links. Lent is the 40 days leading up to Easter. It is preceded by … Keep talking about, reading about, and thinking about Jesus. This same feeling of relief and connection can happen when you admit your failings to God and ask for forgiveness. If using email, save the prayers as drafts during Lent. View all posts by Melissa, Your email address will not be published. It was good and easy explaining for the kids. Keep limiting the amount of time you spend on your smartphone. When Holy Week begins, read through the … Cyndi Montanaro is a free-lance writer from Stafford, Virginia. Even the fact that it lasts 40 days is meaningful. It is a time for Christians to feel a closeness to God and humbled by Jesus’ great love for them. Elijah journeyed through the wilderness, fed only by God, for 40 days and 40 nights (1 Kings 19:7-8). How to Explain Lent to Children. (function($) {window.fnames = new Array(); window.ftypes = new Array();fnames[0]='EMAIL';ftypes[0]='email';fnames[1]='FNAME';ftypes[1]='text';fnames[2]='LNAME';ftypes[2]='text';}(jQuery));var $mcj = jQuery.noConflict(true); Looking to earn a little extra spending money for your favorite stores? The post Holy Week Activities has many, many Easter-focused activities for all age groups of kids. wikiHow's Content Management Team carefully monitors the work from our editorial staff to ensure that each article is backed by trusted research and meets our high quality standards. This article was co-authored by our trained team of editors and researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness. The Lenten Season provides an opportunity for individual Christians to take a hard look at their lives and hearts and make sure they are in line with Christ’s teachings. Each lesson is fully scripted and interactive with discussion questions built-in and takes about 5 minutes or so to read. For Christians, Easter is about … 03 February 2021. Cool, huh? Thank you for helping to support my family!). Required fields are marked *. *The terms orthodox and liturgical refer to worship practices and belief systems. Daily devotions and prayer – Explain to kids that Lent is a time when we really concentrate on our … The original term meant lengthening. It begins on Ash Wednesday – which is usually in February – and ends a week before Easter. The Lenten Season, usually just referred to as “Lent”, is the 40-day period between Ash Wednesday and what is often referred to as Holy Saturday – simply, the Saturday that comes the week before Easter. I have an Advent/Christmas devotion and activities too! If it helps, talk less about death and emphasize how the drawn cross is meant to be a reminder of the main focus of Lent — Jesus. Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 113,354 times. Make sure they also know that Satan doesn't want you to be happy in hell. If you seek to do this, make sure that you have the support and will power to follow through. These activities extend the Easter celebrations much longer, build anticipation, and cement the stories of Jesus in the kids’ minds. Matthew 3:13-17. They take the season before Easter to prepare themselves spiritually for this celebration. The Lenten Season is a great time to teach children how to pray, how to give of themselves, how to serve others, and how to love as Jesus loves. This post answers all these questions and offers ways to incorporate the observance of Lent into your family. It is a great day and very important to the Christian faith because it is what makes Christianity different from other religions in the world, who only believe that Jesus was a good person and not God. In the context of Lent, emphasize that Jesus was born and lived on Earth for one purpose — to show everyone how to achieve salvation and everlasting life. Christians give 40 days before Easter to God as a way to show their devotion and grow in their faith. Lent begins on Ash Wednesday. Explaining Lent to children. Traditionally, Christians abstained from meat during Lent partly so that they could use the money they saved on meat to give to the poor, to those who couldn’t afford meat. So over the years and across many Lents, with my own kids, I try to remind them of this deeper meaning of Lenten sacrifices. To subscribe to the National Catholic Register call 1-800-421-3230. As a family, use your hands to craft crosses, crowns of thorns, and other symbolic projects. A younger child could decorate a card, color eggs, and help you prepare some Easter-themed treats to bring over for a visit. That’s why it’s best to start them young, as with anything else when it comes to parenting. Take your child with you to donate to a food bank or serve meals at a shelter. Note that Palm Sunday marks Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem to cheering crowds, but that within a few days many of those same people would turn against him. God wants you to be like him, love him, and he wants you to be happy in heaven. Can you observe Lent within your own home with your own family? It is a season when we delve a little deeper into our faith and understanding of our salvation through grace. 4 Ways to Teach Kids about Lent - Concordia Publishing House Level up your tech skills and stay ahead of the curve. With so much focus on candy, egg hunts, and gifts, Easter is – as it should be – an exciting day. Younger teens and beyond can better handle the details of crucifixion and comprehend the symbolism of death and rebirth vis-a-vis mankind’s salvation. Before beginning His ministry, even Jesus went into the desert to fast and pray for 40 days and 40 nights (Matthew 4:1-11; Mark 1:12-13; Luke 4:1-13). 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