Hello everyone,
I’ve been reflecting a lot lately on a particular season of toddlerhood, and I was hoping I could gather some wisdom from this wonderful community. My son, Gabriel, just turned three, and we are fully immersed in the world of big, beautiful, and often overwhelming emotions! My husband and I are committed to a gentle, responsive approach to parenting, and it’s incredibly important to us that our methods are rooted in our faith. The challenge I’m wrestling with is how to make abstract virtues like patience, kindness, and forgiveness tangible for a three-year-old mind.
With my background in Fine Arts and Early Childhood Education, my first instinct is always to turn to creative expression. We’ve been trying to bring stories to life, for instance, by using felt figures to tell the story of the Good Samaritan to talk about helping, or painting a ‘Garden of Kindness’ where we add a flower sticker each time we see someone being gentle or sharing. These activities are sweet, but I sometimes feel like the lesson gets lost between the craft and the cleanup. I worry that I’m not effectively bridging the gap between a fun activity and the true, deep-seated value I want to nurture in his heart, especially in the heat of a tantrum when he’s thrown his cars because his tower fell over.
I would be so grateful to hear how other families are navigating this. How do you translate foundational faith principles into practical, in-the-moment guidance for toddlers? What does gentle, faith-based discipline look like in your home when your little one is struggling? I’m particularly curious about any books, songs, or simple family rituals you’ve found that genuinely seem to resonate with this age group and help plant those first little seeds of empathy and grace. I truly believe we can guide our children’s hearts with love and understanding, and I’d love to learn from your experiences.
Blessings,
Joy