A child is a gift from God; Psalm 127:3 says, ”Children are a gift from the Lord;they are a reward from him.” Children are our reward and with that reward comes a responsibility as well. I love the depiction found in Psalm 127:4, where it equates our children to be “like arrows” in the hands of “warriors” and we are to aim them in the direction that they were created for. This is intentional nurturing and all with a purpose designed by God, but in order to effectively nurture our children, we must see the gifts within them. God made each child with special and unique traits all their own and by understanding who they are individually we can encourage them as they grow to know God and themselves.
As a mother of five kids I have seen first hand the differences among my own children, and with those differences I have also recognized that each one was gifted in their own unique way. Recognizing who your child is, is only the first step. We must also allow them to flourish where they can grow in their abilities, talents and gifts. Where one child may be athletic, another is academic and even more, one child may be outgoing, another reserved. I have come to realize that we cannot put our children in cookie cutter molds, if we aim to steer them in the right direction allowing them to become the unique person God intended them to be.
This was not only evident in my own children, but in the many children who I was blessed to know over the years where I was a Teacher and Daycare Provider. In both professional positions I found that creating an individualized program that focused on each child’s special unique traits, personalities, talents and gifts, was a sure fire way to promote a healthy view of themselves creating a positive self image. Allowing children to learn, play and be who they were meant to be will lead them to be who God has created them to be, all the while feeling confident and assured. All this is possible by just seeing the gifts within each child.
All children have something in them that makes them special and each one grows in their own time and own way. When we encourage individuality and celebrate the differences within our children, they can grow happy, healthy and uniquely be who they were meant to be. By allowing them to comfortably explore and express those natural God given traits, they can come to understand and appreciate that they were fearfully and wonderfully made by God. Psalm 139:14, “I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful,I know that full well.” This is the ultimate aim!
As stewards of these precious gifts from God we must be intentional in how we teach and nurture all our children. We may have to alter and change how we do this from time to time because after all each child is different. This will not always be easy, but it is our responsibility. This may seem impossible in the world we live in today, but through faith we can see that all things are possible with God. He is after all the creator and His intention for all His children is know Him and to live out their uniquely created lives.
What can we as parents and educators do to encourage the uniqueness within each child? Many things from recognizing their individuality and providing opportunities and resources to foster their gifts. This time of year is a great time to honor the unique child with a gift that fits and helps foster the individual within. I would suggest looking for things that suits their personalities, interest and unique giftedness in order to bring out the joyful explorer within each child.
Here are 10 creative gift ideas for the “gifted” ones in your life. (Click Hyperlink Below):
The Artistic Introvert: Art for Kids/Drawing (8 to 12 years old)
The Hungry Reader: Popular Book Series (8-12 year olds): Diary of a Wimpy Kid
The Hands on Cerebral Builder: Magnetic Building Tiles (3 and up)
The Outgoing Active Musician: First Drum Set (3 Year old boy or girl)
The Deep Thinking Investigator: Science: First Microscope Kit (8 and up)
The Active Gamer: Move and Play with Target Dash (6 and up)
The Creative Expressive: Charades for Little Ones (3 and up)
The imaginative Dreamer: 3D Night Light (all ages)
The inspiring “Write” Brain: Game for Aspiring Writers (13 and up)
The Budding “Photo/Video-ographer: Camera on the Go (5 and up)
Keep in Mind that all these gift ideas can be found in various ages and stages, so be creative yourself when shopping for the “Gifts” in your life!
Bio:
Anne Blanchette is a happily married Christian woman, mother of five, business owner and inspirational writer/speaker. She and her husband have a beautifully blended family of three boys and two girls ranging from college age to elementary school. She is a passionate follower of Jesus Christ who lives to encourage and inspire others through her writing and speaking. She is a former teacher, by trade, and loves to utilize those skills in order to teach others about the life giving word of God. Her desire is to encourage everyone to draw close to God through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and she hopes to inspire others to unlock their faith and live out the abundant life found in Christ. You can visit her blog at www.FaithUnlocked.com.
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