Fruits of the Spirit
OPINION —
As an older teacher, I am blessed to be doing inter-generational teaching at Trinity Preschool. Lee Ann Scroggins is the director, and teachers are greeting their students with Fruits of the Spirit decorations on the doors and bulletin boards and in lessons.
Children are met with bananas for self-control, kiwis for faithfulness, raspberries for gentleness, strawberries for kindness, apples for patience, watermelons for goodness, pears for peace, oranges and lemons for joy and grapes for love, putting Galatians 5:22-23 to heart: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” What a wonderful and fruitful way to start off the new school year!
Early childhood is such a critical time of learning — learning how to adjust and how to socially interact with others. I would like to review the Fruits of the Spirit with parents and families in hopes you will apply them with your children:
- Love is a fruit we need so much of. 1 Corinthians 13:13: “And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.” Children love to sing songs of love for each other. It is joy to a parent’s heart and ears to receive hugs and hear the words, “I Love you.” Ask your child, “Who could be helped by our love today?”
- The fruit of Joy is a path that children seem to understand. They love to clap and sing. Happiness depends on what is happening to a child at a particular time, but joy is deep within the heart, not shackled by circumstances. A child’s joy is contagious to adults. Ask your child how joy can help someone else at school today.
- Teaching children about peace, we stress for them to look for positive happenings all around. Too, the fruit of peace can be used to guide children in ways to get along with others.
- The fruit of patience is such an asset in our rushed world. At the beginning of the year, when going over class rules, teachers remind children to raise their hands and take turns answering questions or sharing facts. I gently remind them not to interrupt the lesson but to “Save That Thought” until the end of the lesson. When other children are talking, we are to listen to what our classroom friends are sharing. As parents and teachers, we have to be patient as children learn this process.
- The fruit of kindness spreads when we share and model that we are supposed to help others. Children want to help others. A good way to foster this is to assign chores at home, such as helping set the table, picking up toys, cleaning their room, etc. I am a recipient of kindness anytime I go into the classroom and students help me lay out books, give out papers to color, pick up trash, open the door, etc. I love it when children are out on the playground when I am leaving for the day, and they yell to me as I am leaving, “Mrs. Beth, have a good day!” That encourages me so and melts my heart!
- The fruit of goodness is doing what is right. With young children, this is obeying parents, teachers, listening to instructions, trying to finish up assignments, cleaning up, etc.
- The fruit of faithfulness can be fostered as parents and model this in prayer. Children love to pray. With their young hearts and gentle spirits, they believe in prayer. I love to hear young children sing prayers and say prayers. They trust and know that God will keep His promises.
- Guiding young children to think of others is the fruit of gentleness. It is so rewarding to see young children help each other, such as helping each other open up a box of crayons or juice boxes, helping their teachers put classroom resources back where they belong, helping older people as needed, etc.
- The fruit of self-control is applied in children obeying their parents and adults. This is a process that takes training and patience.
With these Fruits of the Spirit at the beginning of the school year, this is a good time to guide your children to make friends. Children love to have friends at school. Listen closely to your child when they talk about children they like to play with at school or preschool. To teach them social interaction and how to relate to others, check with these children’s parents and invite them over to play. Plan activities such as going to the park, playing games, viewing a favorite video and enjoying a favorite snack together. Children are so happy with just doing the simple things. The main issue you are focusing on is having the children get along.
Beth Pinyerd has taught in the early childhood classroom for many years. She holds a master’s degree in early childhood education.
