The Ten Best Ways for Parents
One Godly Play lesson introduces children to the “Ten Best Ways” to live. This is the story of the Ten Commandments. The following ten best ways are not commandments, but the ways we invite you, the parent, to support your child’s Godly Play experience.
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- Help your children be on time and ready! The ideal arrival time is between 9:05 and 9:10. Teachers need time to prepare for the day’s lesson, so please do not send your children to Sunday School early. Encourage your child to go to the bathroom before class. Children are always welcomed into the circle, but it is best if everyone is settled before the story starts.
- Be patient, knowing that part of what we are teaching the children is the importance of slowing down and being ready to be with God. The Godly Play circle is built slowly and lovingly, to welcome each child, one at a time. When children arrive, they wait outside the door while the teacher helps them get ready to join the circle.
- Say your goodbyes at the door, and know that the teachers are ready to make the next hour a safe and welcoming time for every child. Even if your child is not ready to go in, you may leave them to continuing getting ready with the doorkeeper once the rest of the children have gone into the room.
- Do not come into the room during drop off, class, or pick up. The Godly Play room is a sacred space for the children, and having additional adults in the room is disruptive to the flow of the class. The doorkeeper will dismiss the children one at a time so that each child has time to clean up their own things and say goodbye to the teachers. Again, please be patient! This is an important part of the lesson.
- Do attend our next Open House for parents. The environment is a critical part of the curriculum, and knowing more about the way things are set up will help you connect with your child about what happens there. You may also observe a class by appointment. It is best to observe when your own child is not a part of the group.
- Try not to be discouraged if children do not have the words to tell you about their experience in the classroom. Young children, in particular, will not always be about to tell you what they learned, because what they learned was how to learn about the powerful language of the Christian people. We will send out “parent pages” via email each week that can help you connect with your child through the lesson.
- Know that there may not be a physical product for their “work” that day, because some of what they are learning cannot be put into words even by adults. In Godly Play, we focus on our relationships with God, the depth of relationships in the community of children, and learning how to use the Christian language to make meaning of our experiences.
- Understand that some days we will choose not to include all of the parts of the lesson. In Godly Play we believe that we have “all the time we need,” and it is more important to respond to the needs of the children than to stick to a strict schedule. Skipping a particular piece of the lesson is not a punishment, it is an intentional decision made for the benefit of the entire group based on the time available.
- Support the program by learning more about Godly Play. Introductory material is available to borrow from the Godly Play room.
- Stay connected with your child’s classroom teachers. Always email or call if you have questions or concerns!
For more info, please visit the Godly Play page or fill out the form below: