A Week of Family Fun for Children’s Day
Nestled right in between Halloween and Thanksgiving is a Holy Day that young Unificationists know well. Many of us remember waking up on Sunday morning to a beautiful offering table decorated with fruit and candy, our parents overjoyed to celebrate us. This year, you can pass on the memories and the tradition of True Children’s Day by celebrating with your own little ones throughout the week. Read on to find out how.
Spend Time as a Family
What our kids want most from us is what’s often so hard to give — our undivided attention. Torn between work, church, and our other commitments, it can be hard to carve out time for the people we love most. Make a special effort this week by reading with your children, playing a family board game, or walking together in the park. If you are a local pastor, consider organizing a family game night for the whole community. There’s only one rule: turn off your the phones and keep the distractions away. Your kids will appreciate it.
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Write a Love Letter to Your Child
What better way to teach your child about God’s love for everyone than by writing a love letter? This is something that pastors and parents can do as a group activity after Sunday service. Consider sharing the story about the day your son or daughter was born. What was it like to kiss and cuddle your baby for the first time? To count all ten fingers and toes? What are your hopes and dreams for the kind of person your child will one day become? End your letter with a reminder that God’s love for them is even greater than yours.
Do Something to Celebrate All Children
“This day is not only for Unification Church members; it is a day for people of the world to mark and celebrate forever and ever. Children’s Day is indeed the most blessed day.” – True Father, as quoted in the Cheon Seong Gyeong (The Holy Scripture of Cheon Il Guk), 11:5:34
As True Father said many years ago, Children’s Day is a day to honor all children, not just those in the Unification Movement. This week, take time to talk with your young ones about families in need. Use this opportunity to get a group of volunteers together to visit a local soup kitchen that serves people in the community. If your little ones are too small to volunteer, let them contribute by taking them grocery shopping and donating the goods to a food pantry. This is a great way to teach our children that we are all a part of God’s family and we all have a responsibility to help one another.
How will you be celebrating Children’s Day this year? Let us know in the comments below!