Image via Wikipedia
Have you heard what Jesus said according to Matthew 17:20?
“If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, Move from here to there, and it will move.”
We hear a lot about faith…but what is it really?
The dictionary defines faith as, “Confident belief in the truth, value or trustworthiness of a person, idea or thing. It is a belief that does not rest on logical proof or material evidence.”
In the Nanny McPhee movies, the final lesson for the children is: HAVE FAITH!
As parents, I guess we need to answer two questions.
1. Do young children need to have faith?
2. How can we “teach” our children to have faith?
For me, the answer to the first question is a definite YES! Children need to have faith…in themselves, in their parents and other caregivers, and in the natural order of the universe.
Regarding question two, we can “teach” children to have faith in two easy steps:
1. Have faith in yourself…set goals and follow through until you reach them. Also, work towards realizing your dreams.
2. Have faith in your children…show them you believe in them by listening to their concerns and opinions with respect. Encourage their strengths and support and praise their good efforts. Be consistent about expecting them to accept the appropriate consequences for their actions.
A wonderful example of a child who had tremendous faith in himself and in the natural order of the universe can be found in a classic children’s picture book, THE CARROT SEED, written by Ruth Krauss and illustrated by Crocket Johnson. A little boy plants a carrot seed and always remembers to water it and pull up the weeds. Although he doesn’t get any encouragement from his family, he continues to care for it. His hard work and faith are rewarded when the carrot seed grows…into an enormous carrot plant! When the little boy pulls the mature carrot plant out of the ground, the carrot is SO BIG; he needs a wheelbarrow to cart it away.
In my new parenting book, you will find two activities that extend this learning activity: planting a carrot seed and making carrot soup. 
Have you heard about the 3-DAY Pre-Valentine’s Day Event going on right now?
You can grab a copy of the book that contains 100 EASY CHILD-FRIENDLY HEALTHFUL COOKING ACTIVITIES AND 100 SIMPLE ECO-FRIENDLY CRAFT PROJECTS at the regular cover price and you will RECEIVE ANOTHER COPY FREE!
Head on over to my website to get all the details…but please hurry…this SHARE THE LOVE BOGO BOOK EVENT goes away at 11:59pm on Monday night.
I hope you enjoyed the Lessons of Nanny McPhee. I had fun writing them and I loved reading your comments. J
VIVIAN KIRKFIELD - Writer for Children 
Faith is a powerful thing… it moves people, mountains and our fears… Can it be learned? Definitely.
My prayer is that more of us would rely on faith when things seem askew.
Excellent post and I love the richness of that Wiki photo. I’m stealing it 😉
Eliz
LikeLike
I am touched that you feel a photo on my site is worthy of yours. 🙂 I got it from the wordpress photo gallery…only click on public domain photos so as not to have any issues. 🙂 Faith is amazing…those who have it benefit greatly…those who don’t probably feel it is all in the mind…therefore not real…but what the mind conceives DOES become real…we become who we think we are or can be!
LikeLike
DS2 has some sensory processing issues and seems to need more specific direction than his siblings, as in “pick up the toys and put them in the box”, then when that is done “put the books back on the shelves”, as opposed to “pick up your room”. Patience is sometimes hard to come by, but it is SO worth it when he realizes he CAN do something.
Here from the Blog Dare.
LikeLike
Hi LuAnn,
Thanks for following…hope you enjoyed the Nanny McPhee series…patience is a gift…we all have it…to a greater or lesser degree. 🙂 And with little ones, we are often tested no matter how much we have. 🙂 It’s great that you recognize your children’s unique needs and guide them as per their strengths and weaknesses!
LikeLike
Hey Vivian,
I hope all is going well! I’m still reading your book, but I wanted to share-my son loved the book the Carrot Seed! He’s too young to get the big lesson of faith from it, but that’s what I enjoyed from the book. Faith is a big, important thing in our walks; & it doesn’t take much. I believe there is an aspect to faith that we do need to teach our children, but there is also an aspect to faith that we need to learn from them (Mtt 18:3). I love this series.
Danae
LikeLike
Danae,
So glad all is well and you are enjoying SHOW ME HOW! You are so 100% spot on about us learning from our little ones…I think that’s one of the major reasons I LOVED teaching kindergarten and Head Start…and also why I treasured my years as a daycare provider while my own three were growing up…surrounded by these innocent, yet wise souls. 🙂 I’m happy you enjoyed the Nanny McPhee Lessons Series…don’t know what’s next. 🙂
LikeLike
Hi Vivian,
Stopping by and adding your blog! Great comment.
LikeLike
Heather,
Thank you…I do so appreciate it.:)
LikeLike
Pingback: Tweets that mention The Final Lesson of Nanny McPhee: HAVE FAITH! « Positive Parental Participation -- Topsy.com