Parrots
Bedtime Theology with the 3 yo... No parrots seen while birdwatching ( During bedtime prayers ) Me: Did you know you can pray to God anytime and anywhere? 3 yo: And even if you can’t see God, God can hear you. Me: Yes, that’s right! Wow, that’s such a good point. 3 yo: And even if you can’t see God, God loves you. My first (internal) response to this precious interchange was "my kid is so adorable/smart/faithful/on the right track for life -- good job me!" My second (internal) response was "he's also just parroting things I've said dozens of times." Kids repeat things we say and do, for better and for worse. My preschooler is a lover; he's generally glued to my hip and is delighted to mimic my words and deeds. But this is my third kid and I know how it eventually goes: first the adoration, later the eye roll. So if my youngest child, right now, is just parroting all the nice things I say about Jesus, what good does it do later in life, when it co...