How do you help your children discover what God is calling them to be and do on this earth?
Kristen Soley wondered the same question when it came to raising her kids. She began looking around for resources and kept coming back empty-handed. Finally, after a lot of prayer and research, she decided to create her own. Now she offers advice for both parents and inspiration to young children–see below.
First–for the smallest children:
With beautiful images that engage a child’s imagination, Soley’s goal was to create a book that highlighted the many different jobs and roles her children could be called to fill while showing how God guides and helps them fulfill each responsibility–especially through our friends the saints!
Additionally, she hoped that by including priests and sisters in this book, kids would become more aware of these important roles within the Church when children are asked: “What do you want to be when you grow up?”
So cute: watch the video below of Caroline reading this book to little friends!
Now–specifically for the girls:
Most kids see priestly vocations on a regular basis (at mass, at various Catholic events, in many picture books, etc.), but many young Catholic girls today don’t have regular interaction with religious sisters and nuns.
This picture book helps bridge that gap by illustrating the daily lives of nuns, giving young girls an opportunity to peak into a vocation that they may one day feel called to take up.
With charming rhyming verses, children can see a glimpse of the everyday life of the Benedictine sisters. Their lives are filled with joy, work, praise — and fun! Experience the excitement of entering the unknown mystery and beginning a new life inside the hallowed walls of the convent.
You will experience the Sisters’ excitement about first receiving their habits, their delight in caring for the elderly Sisters (with wheelchair races!), and their joy in tending the frisky farm animals!
If you have a daughter, please put this story into her hands so that she can see the beauty of this uniquely female vocation:
Kerri is the co-founder of Holy Heroes and the creator of the “Adventures” they offer free online. She has graduate degrees in history and law. She now homeschools the two children still at home (having successfully sent the six oldest children off to college).
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Hi Clara- Thank you for your response. I will check out Sophia Institute. Have a safe and peaceful summer. Jules
Good Afternoon- I am a Director of Religious Education at my parish. I deal with grades 7-10/Confirmation Program and Our Youth Ministry. I see wonderful things on your site, but I notice there really isn’t anything for the older students. I really liked the attention you brought to Our Religious Sisters. My question is: Do you have materials for the middle and high school students? If not, can you suggest any? At Confirmation time, our Bishop sends each Confirmand a letter asking them to think about entering the Religious Life of a Priest or Nun. Without any information or some kind of learning experience about Religious Life, how can these young people make a sound decision to enter the Religious Life? I am hoping you can help or please give me advise on how to go about bringing this into the classroom. I would appreciate any thoughts or information you can provide to me. Peace & Blessings, Jules
Thank you for your commment! Yes, our materials are focused on kids ages 3-13 years old (with a few resources for high schoolers scattered around our site). You may want to check with Sophia Institute for Teachers–they have resources for religious education of all ages. They might have something to fit your needs for that age range! I would suggest that perhaps another way to address your need is by bringing exposure to religious life in during the younger years–it’a amazing the resources teenagers can find on their own if their interest is raised! If they become exposed to religious life as young children, they may surprise you by the resources they can find during high school simply because they recall stories, pictures, or classes about the topic from childhood.