Here are some more examples of spiritual conversations with my four year old. Some are exact words; other conversations are reconstructed. I hope these set you on a roll – and put you in the role – of discussing spirituality, every day, with your kids.
Example 1. When son is expressing frustration that he can’t get the cupboard door open to get a toy
What do you have to do? “May I please have some help?” Of course. That’s what I’m here for. That’s what God is like too. We just have to ask for help.
Example 2. While discussing the biggest number there is and how you can just add one to that
Math is a bit like God. It just keeps going. You can go on and on forever.
Example 3. After your son has just read a book about time
Now that book on time is a really fun book. However, when it talks about how old you are, it’s just talking about your body, not your spirit. It’s good to learn about time because that’s how we know when things happen... God, doesn’t really follow time. God made time. So, it’s not like God is 100 years old or something. “Or 1000 years old.” That’s right “Or 1001” That’s right. God is forever. God was forever and God will forever be. I think it said in the Bible…What did it say? Something about God is and was and is to be. What do you think that means? “I don’t know”. It just means God is around forever. And our spirits are part of God too, so time isn’t that real for us either.
Example 4. When son opens up devotional study he found on the table
“It says, ‘Listen to Me.’ You have to listen to me.” Not you. That means listen to God…though God’s in you, too.
Example 5. While son helps sort the clean laundry
Do you see something Michael? When you help me with my laundry, it helps you because then you can find yours. So, that should be a lesson for life. Helping others really helps you.
Example 6. After calling our daughter Goddess Baby, half in jest, half in truth
To older son: Do you know what Goddess means? It means God as a female. God is male and female. After all, God couldn’t have made anything if He was only a male. You have to have a father and mother to have a child. Even God does!
Example 7. While reading a book about a child in relation to the world map
This book is great because it helps you understand maps. One thing about it though, is, there’s really more to you than this body, okay? You’re bigger than your body because you’re a Spirit and you come from God and God is unlimited. Does that make sense?
Example 8. In the middle of a story where mention was made of an old lady who lived alone and ‘must be very lonely’
I’d just like you to remember that you’re never really alone because God’s always inside of you, so there are really two people, two of you. Actually, it’s kind of one of you because God is all that you really are. So, you should never feel alone. Anyway, so, where were we…?
Example 9. While walking in the garden and noticing how big a tree is
Wow, can you believe I grew that tree from seed? Well, actually, I didn’t, the nature spirits did, God did. I just planted the seed in the ground and God did all the rest.
Example 10. When your son shows you he can write the numeral 17
“I wrote 17.” I didn’t know you were so smart! You’re intelligent! “You’re intelligent too. You’re smart (he says to me)” Do you know why you’re intelligent? Because God’s intelligent and God’s in you.
Example 11. After telling my kid, ‘just do your best and I’ll do the rest,’ to juice an orange
You know how I said just ‘do your best and I’ll do the rest?’ “Yes” Well, God’s like that. God says to us, just do your best and I’ll do the rest. That’s nice, huh? “Yes.”
Example 12. When son showed me a creative ‘cake and candle’ made with toilet rolls
It’s like you’re the cake and God’s the candle…and God’s going to gobble you all up! …That’s funny. Do you know why I said God’s the candle.? “No.” Because what’s God in your heart? “I don’t know.” Some people say a flame, just like a candle! Or it could be a light, but God’s light in you. “Yes, you’re right.”
Example 13. My son, asking what music I just put on, while we ate lunch
“What’s the name of this song?” It’s just a mantra to Amitabha Buddha: Namo Amitabha Buddha. Namo means I bow to you or respect you or something like that…and his name is Amitabha… so if you were a Buddha we would say “Namo Michael Buddha!” “Or if my name was Miso?” (My son likes salty condiments!) Well, then we’d say “Namo Miso Buddha!”
Note: This was followed by a fun imagination of what Buddha titles everyone in the house could have.
Example 14. While wrestling with your son and getting up close and personal with his big head
Hey, you’ve got a big head. Must be all that brain, all that mind of God in you! Not that God can be limited. God’s mind is everywhere.
Example 15. After putting on a song about Enoch
This song is about Enoch. Enoch was a man in the Bible and we think he’s a Master today. It says in the Bible ‘Enoch, walked with God and was not, for God took him.’ He walked right into heaven! His consciousness was already so much there that it wasn’t any different.
Example 16. More comments from my son about the Enoch song
“Open the door…. I can open the door!” . No. In the song, remember I said Enoch walked with God and he ‘was not’ because he walked with God, into heaven? Do you remember that? “Yes” Well, we’re asking him to open the door to the heaven worlds for us. Wouldn’t that be nice? “Yes, it does sound nice.”
Example 17. Later, while the song was still playing and it was my turn during telephone calls game
Hello, this is Enoch. I walked with God and was not because God took me. Would you like to walk with God? “Yes please”. Good answer. I’ll be in touch.
Example 18. While cleaning marks off the wall with washcloths
Would you like to know something interesting? “Yes” We’ve got to clean ourselves just like this wall! Well, not with washcloths…But that would work too. We’ve got to clean ourselves like this. Clean your heart. Clean your mind. Clean your thoughts. Clean your feelings. That’s the way we’ve got to clean ourselves – spiritually!
Example 19. When my son came running to show me a sprouting almond from our soaked almonds
“Look at this pointy thing on the almond.” Yes, it’s a SPROUT! Do you know what it will turn into? “It will turn into an almond.” No! It’s already an almond! It will turn into an almond tree! (If it was planted). We are a sprout too. We are a God-sprout. What will we turn into? “God.” Yeah, kind of. Not the same as Almighty God although kind of. God is our parent so I guess we’re like baby Gods.
Later: I’m not sure if I gave you the right answer. It IS the same as God, it’s just that it’s not as much God, kind of like we are a drop of water and the whole ocean is God. So, we can be the same as God, and one with God, just not greater than everyone else, we’re a part of God just like they are.
Example 20. After son calls you and you respond to help immediately
You called me and I came. Here I am. God answers us, just like that when we call Him too, when we call Her. That’s nice, huh?
Example 21. While discussing spiritual bedtime stories
This book is about the child choosing the parents and that book is about the parents choosing the child. I think it was a bit of both. “Mary and I chose you and Daddy and you and Daddy chose Mary and me.” Yes, I think so.
Example 22. While listening to a rosary of love in the background
Hail Michael, Full of sweetness, we love you!
Example 23. While reading a line from a storybook with my son
“Together we will search for the answers to all of your questions. And I will encourage you to follow the wisdom of your heart.” That’s a good idea. Because God has all the answers. Men don’t know everything; however God can give you the answers to everything.
Example 24. While watching the video clip “waltzing in the womb”
“And there’s above and I see angels.” Actually that’s supposed to be saying talk to your baby with love and sing this song to them and they might sing it with the angels in heaven. Where were you before you were born? “In your womb” Yeah, that’s right, but before then? “I don’t know.” In heaven. “Where is heaven?” Well, Jesus said heaven is inside of you. Where inside of you do you think it could be? “I think it could maybe be here or here or here .” What about your heart? “I think it’s in my heart too”. Yeah, God’s everywhere too. Also, heaven can be a place too. And also it is what is called consciousness. You can be happy like you’re in heaven and be on earth or you can be unhappy too. It’s all up to you and where you choose to be. But, most people think heaven is a place and it probably is.
Example 25. After overhearing Daddy say, “food is food”
“God is God. And Michael is Michael.” And Michael is God. “And Mary is Mary”. And Mary is God too.
Example 26. While discussing computer usage and behavior consequences
“But I didn’t do that today.” No, but you did it yesterday, and that was part of the consequence, that you wouldn’t have computer time today. You have to pay for what you do. It’s not just me either, it’s God too. It’s called karma. That means that what you do, you have to be responsible for, you have to be accountable. Whatever you’ve done in the past or will do in the future, comes back to you. So, if you do good things, they come back to you. And if you do not-so-good things they come back to you too. So, karma is one thing that I hope to teach you about, because it’s really important.
Example 27. While listening to some Tibetan music being played in the background
This mantra is om mani padme hum and it means ‘hail to the jewel in the lotus.’ The lotus is your heart, so what do you think the jewel is? “I don’t know.” God. God is in your heart. God is like a jewel in your heart, something special and beautiful.
Example 28. While listening to Love Will Always Find Us, in the background
“I love you”. I love you too. “I said I love you because I heard the words in the song.” The song is more about Mummies and Daddies but it also says in the song “Long before this time I knew you.” I knew you before this life. Did you know that? “Yes” I knew you before this life. Yeah. We met in the heaven worlds and planned all this, planned this life together. So, we’ve known each other before.
Example 29. Spontaneously changing the words to “Ten little Indians” that was playing on our computer
One little, two little, three little angels. Four little, five little six little angels. Seven little, eight little nine little angels. Ten little angel friends.
One little, two little, three little gnomes. Four little, five little six little gnomes. Seven little, eight little nine little gnomes. Ten little gnome friends.
One little, two little, three little fairies. Four little, five little six little fairies. Seven little, eight little nine little fairies. Ten little fairy friends.
Example 30. My son commenting on an audio from the Hearts Center in the background as he plays
“It said God feeds us. No God doesn’t feed us but God could help the farmers grow the food and Daddy helps Mummy cook the food.” Well that’s God. God helps us through helping others. Also, in other ways, God feeds us. God started your heart – I didn’t do that. It just started one day when your body was growing inside me. God just started it. And there are nature spirits too. “Yes, there are. Nature spirits are all around.” And they help with growing food. And God made them. So, I think you could say God feeds us, even if you don’t see Him sitting at the table feeding you! “I don’t think so. God doesn’t sit at the table.” How do you know God’s not there? God could be there. God’s everywhere. “I don’t know. But God could really be there even if we don’t see him.” I think so.
That’s 30 from me. Over to you! Please share the kinds of spiritual things you like to talk about with your kids. What works or doesn’t work for you?