The concept of child development is easy enough to understand. If you need any help, Wikipedia.com is just a few keystrokes away. Intellectual child development... emotional child development – the definitions are all there. But spiritual child development is nowhere to be found, and it’s the “spiritual” part that makes us start to hem and haw when we try to define the term.
Why should we even bother trying to nail down a definition for such an esoteric term? Well, according to the Center for Spiritual Development Center, there are at least 13 quantifiable reasons for wanting to support this initiative:
Spiritual development lowers a person's risk for:
1. Hypertension
2. Depression
3. Suicide
4. Promiscuity
5. Alcohol & drug use
6. Delinquent behavior
7. Physical injury (this is not a misprint)
Spiritual development heightens the likelihood of:
1. Civic engagement
2. Well-being
3. Hope, purpose and meaning in life
4. Positive self-esteem
5. Educational attainment
6. Longevity
Johnson, B. R. (2008). A tale of two religious effects: Evidence for the protective and prosocial impact of organic religion. In Kline, K. K. (Ed.), Authoritative Communities: The Scientific Case for Nurturing the Whole Child.
Most discussions on this topic will center on the child’s faith. The degree of benefit derived (see above) will be directly related to the level of commitment a child has to his or her faith. But we at Little Lamb are taking a different approach. We propose that a high-level understanding of other faiths – or at the minimum an acknowledgement that other faiths do exist – is central to the healthy spiritual development of a child.
Just as a child’s mind can be poisoned by the hateful vitriol of a bigoted parent or pal, we believe it can be sculpted into a mind that's accepting of other people of other faiths and religions. Our spiritual child development mission is relatively simple in concept, yet at the same time, wonderful and powerful. If done properly, it promotes all the good things listed above. We want our children to develop strong spiritual roots. How about you?
If spiritual respect and understanding are not taught at an early age, a complex of superiority (or inferiority) spawned by fear and ignorance can ensue, and we’ve all seen the negative – and sometimes horrific – consequences. Faith is an incredibly powerful force. Maybe even the strongest force of all. But it goes both ways.
The best chance for healthy and blissful Spiritual Child Development starts at a very young age. Is your child ready for this life-changing message? Are you?
