Freedom...to play?

It's no surprise that today's kids are living in a different world, and thinking in the context of a new worldview, than kids 15-20 years ago. I found an article in K! Magazine (Sept/Oct 08) that highlighted both Ivy Beckwith's book Postmodern Children's Ministry and Lenore Skenazy's blog freerangekids.wordpress.com. The article briefly discusses how different kids are raised today, and how they don't enjoy the freedom that kids did in the past because parents are so afraid of what "may" happen. Kids often aren't allowed to play in the neighborhood or go to the park without supervision. Skenazy's blog encourages the idea that kids are not in as much danger as parents may think. Her artcles discuss everything from Halloween candy to walking to school. She emphasizes that safety is important, but obsessive worrying is teaching kids that they are not capable of completing tasks that other kids did all the time in the past (like even walking home from the bus stop). Check out the interesting articles and viewpoints on her blog. Will it provide a little extra freedom, or leave room for a dangerous situation?

Special Needs? We can help!

The September/October 2008 issue of K! Magazine briefly highlighted toys and books that helps kids with tough subjects. The featured items were a Down Syndrome doll to help promote understanding and also a Chemotherapy doll that has different hair styles to help kids understand the changes that a person may experience. They also highlighted a book about plastic surgery.

“Special needs” is a growing and very important aspect of children's ministry today. All children need spiritual guidance, and families with special needs children are looking for churches that are ready and willing to work with their child. Some of our favorite resources include Group's Emergency Response Handbook. It's a great resource to have on hand, as it covers a variety of situations that could arise in your ministry including abuse, depression, legal trouble, and tragic loss. When it comes to specific needs, Teaching Young Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder by Clarissa Willis is one of the best and easiest to understand books on the topic. It provides the basics on the disorder and what the best techniques are to teach the kids who suffer from it.

Head over to our bookstore for more Special Needs resources!