8 year old niece chimed in with God made it. Ok God made it does that mean we shouldn't learn about how it works? I asked her. That's all I need to know, she said.
I am really conflicted about what to think of this. She is not my child. I told her that it was ok that she was happy with that explanation; but that my daughter wants to know as much as she can about how living things work. If she didn't want to listen that was ok too. What would you do?
2007-03-29 16:57:42 · 13 answers · asked by Sara 5 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Hi JackDina… I appreciate your answer, but all children are different. My daughter loves details. We looked though a botany book. I printed out ‘the life cycle of corn’ coloring pages, we colored them in. We made up a story about corn. We discussed where in the garden we would be growing corn this year, and how it is done. I showed her corn in a husk, discussed how they are dried how they change shape and appearance and why. We also talked about why/how corn kernels pop when heated. Then we discussed the change in shape and appearance when it pops. Then, because I was raised in the Midwest we talked about the importance of corn to the native peoples of the Midwest. We made a song about it and sang it until she had another question. She has a tremendous vocabulary and tells me what she is interested in and when she is satisfied with what she’s learned.
2007-03-29 17:52:56 · update #1
I would tell her that it is important to learn about science so that we can better understand why God made things the way He did. "God did it" with no other explanation is just pure blind faith and that is NOT what we are called to have.
Read the story of the Bereans in the book of Acts for guidance and God bless!
2007-03-29 17:02:03 · answer #1 · answered by Last Ent Wife (RCIA) 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
I think that we should learn about the way things work and I also believe in God and that he made things. That does not give us an excuse to not figure out how they work, it's curiosity. About your niece, I think that she is off to a good start on having faith, although you and I both know that she will probably have to learn how things work some day. She's just being childlike and you can't instill in her values you think are important, she has to find out herself. Not to mention she's not your kid. You teach your kid what you want him to learn and let your niece's parents teach her what they want her to learn. Eventually they'll all grow up to be fine, young adults.
2007-03-29 17:06:02 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
You could ask the niece if she knows HOW god made it. It should be obvious, even to a not very bright 8 year old, that god did not simply will the corn into existence.
2007-03-29 17:09:16 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
Next time tell her it's ok to believe in God but your little son wanted to know how things work and you do have a right to tell him and that it is ok with God to want to learn as much about the natural world as we can.
2007-03-29 17:06:08 · answer #4 · answered by flugelberry 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I think you did about all you can do as far as in what you should say to the child (I might talk to her parents though). Continue to do the things that help to grow the curiosity and ambition of your child and if the niece wants she can join in.
2007-03-29 17:05:03 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
It's enough for her right now. Your two daughters are showing that they think differently. What's more natural than that?
I heard a Phillipian woman say something that struck wise to me, she said, " Even the fingers on my own hand are different."
I'm glad that you are asking about it. My parents seemed to throw up their hands with the thought that there was no advice to be had, no manual on how to raise kids. I knew better, they were just afraid of advice it seemed.
2007-03-29 17:08:14 · answer #6 · answered by Christian Sinner 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Explain it to her like you want. She's your child. God made it isn't a good enough answer. Maybe he did, but you can still explain what happens to it to make it grow etc.
2007-03-29 17:13:00 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
I'm not very religious,but I'm under the impression god wouldnt want us to be uneducated just because we have faith
We have these wonderful things called brains - and we really should work them as often as possible.
2007-03-29 17:02:05 · answer #8 · answered by freshbliss 6 · 4⤊ 0⤋
Ask her if she wants to go to university and get a good job when she grows up. If the answer is no, then live and let live, I guess...
2007-03-29 17:06:24 · answer #9 · answered by Psyleet 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
3 year olds don't want to know the scientific reason for things. They want to know a simple answer. Wait until she is older for the detailed answer.
Grow a garden with her and let her see how seeds grow.
2007-03-29 17:04:39 · answer #10 · answered by J T 6 · 1⤊ 2⤋