It matters what we read to our “littles”.

At the very beginning, when we first start reading to babies, controlling content is not as crucial.  We focus on books that teach basics like colors, senses, numbers, letters, animals and animal sounds, parts of our bodies (heads, shoulders, knees and toes 😊) and books about our kids themselves. We like to read stories to them about how special and unique they are and how much we love them.  We choose books with cute rhymes and colorful pictures.

As our babies grow into toddlers, what we read to them has influence.  It matters; we are helping them establish a world view.

The “world” will start teaching them from the first moments of understanding, so we need to be intentional with this as well. We tend towards tolerance today, and this is good as we teach kindness and understanding.  But it does not mean that we have to compromise on what we think of as right and wrong, truth and lies.

Yes, read sweet little rhyming stories and stories that personify animals where they talk and make silly decisions. But also read stories to them that teach them about faith, grace, forgiveness, and most of all, God.

The single motivator that has propelled me to begin this entire writing process is what I believe to be TRUE in God’s Word:  that we are CREATED in the image of God, that we are fearfully and wonderfully made, Psalm 139: 14.   There’s actually SCIENCE (AnswersinGenesis.com) behind our design; our cells, our DNA, our unique designs.  The complex designs of all life on earth cry out in defense of creation.

Our kids are going to hear all about how life just “happened” accidentally over millions of years, in complete conflict with a God who created in His image.    Yes, we’ve adapted, but I do not believe we evolved.  Each plant and animal has its own design and function within this world.   There’s something called irreducible complexity that speaks to this- and so much more good science.  There is not a conflict between science and faith, but the world will not teach this to our little ones.

Let’s give our kids answers to questions they are going to have as they grow.  Let’s have an answer for the faith we have (1^st Peter 3:15) .  Let’s have fun, and let’s also be intentional with the content we put into these sweet young minds because, yes, it matters.

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