Proverbs 22:6 – Start a child off on a way he should take, and when he’s older, he won’t depart from it.

Gather around, for here is a good old Cherokee Legend. An old man tells a story to his grandson, of two wolves, black and grey, fighting inside his heart. Black Wolf is hot tempered, mean and is upset at the slightest excuse. He is selfish, bitter, hateful and malicious. He seeks to walk the dark path.
Grey Wolf is the exact opposite. He is caring, compassionate and kind. He is also loving, truthful and humble. The old man says that Black and Grey are fighting every day in every man’s heart?

The grandson asks, “Which wolf will win? Is it Black? Is it Grey?” According to the old man, it’s the one you feed.

Parenting a child the right way is a full time job entailing feeding the wolves, and then some. What is the best way of telling the little ones about Jesus? Here are some practical tips to get started in introducing religion to your children.

#1. Let the Kids See and Experience Real Faith
Having real faith is not about being perfect. We are all human – although created in the image of God, we aren’t exactly 100% without fault. Sooner or later, we are bound to slip up. For instance, you could lose your temper at the infinite absurdity of something which just happened.
Real faith is about talking to our children about fears, worries and anxiety. The learning point is where we pray together about these fears, worries and other vagaries of life together.

#2. Apologize To the child for Mistakes or Mishaps
Grownups make mistakes too. Mommy could forget all about her daughter’s butterfly ponytail clipper. Saying sorry is a powerful, yet often forgotten practice that showcases our humility and is essential for raising children with manners and the grace of the Lord. Which brings us to the third tip –

#3. Talk often about Jesus with the Kids
Bringing Jesus to family conversations is not only an effective way of nurturing the child’s curiosity, but also getting him to trust the Lord. The best way to do this is to integrate the subject naturally into normal conversation, and being thankful for everything good at home.

#4. Reminding Children That We Love Them and God loves them Too
This is another excellent means of fostering love and warmth in the family, while teaching our kids about God’s grace. Sunday school curriculum is too complex to the little ones. However, all they need to know are 2 things – God made everything, and He loves them. As you can see, introducing religion to your children isn’t that hard at all!

#5. Get a Good Bible for Kids, and Read it Often
Most of what we learn comes through books. Find a good illustrated Bible and make earmark some good sections, which when creatively done, will make good bedtime stories. After the story, give the kids a big hug, and tell them about the lessons in the story. Soon, they will be looking forward to the stories! This, by far, is one of the best methods of introducing religion to your children.

Bottom Line
It is said that children take up after their parents, and learn most of their mannerisms and habits from their parents. More often than not, they end up learning about good Christian practices and grow up in the right path if their parents do the same. And what joy and harmony shall it be to find them as good as the chip off the old block!