reading with your children
There are multiple reasons for reading with your children. Experts say it improves their language skills, prepares them for academic success and increases their concentration and discipline, as well as improving their imagination and creativity. Even after your children have learned to read for themselves, spending time together reading is a special way to bond.
If you are not already doing so- include a Bible story into your story time. Reading a story from the Bible every day will help them to become more familiar with the greatest story of all time- the story of our Salvation. We get to know people and form relationships with them by sharing the stories of our lives; likewise we get to know God better by praying and reading the Holy Bible. St. Jerome put it pretty bluntly when he said "Ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ." And it's true- if we want to know Christ, we need to spend time reading the Holy Bible. Parents can foster in their children the life-long habit of daily scripture reading, by reading The Holy Bible every day with them when they are young.
In Faith Formation classes, we use Bibles from St. Mary's Press and recommend them for your use at home as well. Most children's Bibles just have the "highlight" stories- Adam & Eve, Noah's Ark, David & Goliath, The Exodus, etc. St. Mary's Press offers a children's Bible that is the full, complete Holy Bible, and "highlights" special stories within it. SMP also has study Bibles for different age groups- middle school, high school and a family edition- all the editions have resources within to help you understand Scripture and make the connection to Catholic beliefs and practices.
On Saturday evenings, set aside time to read the upcoming Sunday Scriptures together as a family and prepare for Mass. Reading and praying with the Sunday Scriptures ahead of time can help you to be more receptive to God's Word when you hear it proclaimed at Mass. As a wise priest once told us- it's awfully hard to find Jesus at Mass on Sundays, if we don't spend any time with him during the week.
Spend time during the week with your children and Jesus, in prayer and reading the Holy Bible.
If you are not already doing so- include a Bible story into your story time. Reading a story from the Bible every day will help them to become more familiar with the greatest story of all time- the story of our Salvation. We get to know people and form relationships with them by sharing the stories of our lives; likewise we get to know God better by praying and reading the Holy Bible. St. Jerome put it pretty bluntly when he said "Ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ." And it's true- if we want to know Christ, we need to spend time reading the Holy Bible. Parents can foster in their children the life-long habit of daily scripture reading, by reading The Holy Bible every day with them when they are young.
In Faith Formation classes, we use Bibles from St. Mary's Press and recommend them for your use at home as well. Most children's Bibles just have the "highlight" stories- Adam & Eve, Noah's Ark, David & Goliath, The Exodus, etc. St. Mary's Press offers a children's Bible that is the full, complete Holy Bible, and "highlights" special stories within it. SMP also has study Bibles for different age groups- middle school, high school and a family edition- all the editions have resources within to help you understand Scripture and make the connection to Catholic beliefs and practices.
On Saturday evenings, set aside time to read the upcoming Sunday Scriptures together as a family and prepare for Mass. Reading and praying with the Sunday Scriptures ahead of time can help you to be more receptive to God's Word when you hear it proclaimed at Mass. As a wise priest once told us- it's awfully hard to find Jesus at Mass on Sundays, if we don't spend any time with him during the week.
Spend time during the week with your children and Jesus, in prayer and reading the Holy Bible.