Your Children and their Characteristics
Remember that no two human beings are alike, they look alike but they are completely different, each one of your kids have a personality on their own, good teachers are interested in every one of their students.
When we are dealing with different age group of kids we need to know that:
Every soul is a unique person created by our Lord and entrusted to our care for a brief time
Not two children are exactly alike
Many factors in children’s lives affect their behaviors, attendance and responses. Growth development may give them some things in common, but all the confusing outside influences can affect the people.
Does one need attention because he receives little from a busy family?
Does one show up only now and then because his family has little interest in the church?
How those kids are affected by videos, music, TV & computers?
Does one worship an older brother because he has no father at home?
So every servant has a responsibility to become closely to every member of his group. Knowing them as individual persons is vital to feeling and leading them in the green pictures of God’s words and to cleaning refreshing waters of the Holy Spirit to nurture in them the peace and lift of Christ
Let’s take a look at the characteristics of those we serve.
Six Year Old
He has a lot of expectations
He is eager to do things that are new and different, he need challenges, otherwise his eagerness my turn into misbehavior
His body is growing faster than his control of it, so he is not content to sit quietly and listen for long time or just to wait while others have the attention of the servant
He wants to be actively involved in what’s going on, it is wise to keep activities and stories short and to change the learning into activities while the kids become restless
He is born imitator, he does what he sees consciously or subconsciously, he is always playing “follow the teacher” therefore whatever his teacher says or does has a strong influence on his thinking and character “My teacher said so” is always the final court of appeal
He has a wide imagination, he has spent a good part of his early childhood in transforming blocks into castles and airplanes, he loves to hear let’s “Play the story”
He has a trusting, responsive nature he is ready to believe in God’s love
Seven Year Old
He is a bundle of contrasts, at time he involves in aggressive plays, at other times he is quite.
His personality brings friends, but his energy and dominant nature sometimes put him in trouble.
He likes to feel more a part of a group.
He needs a lot of attention always copying what teenage or TV models are wearing.
He is able to read and to print small sentences, this is a good time to introduce simple bible story to read and learn. Also, he enjoys cutting, pasting, drawing and simple construction activities.
He needs acceptance, affection and reassurance, he needs to know in a very real way what it means that God is love.
Eight Year Old
Beside running fast to exercise the growing muscles, the kid is entering a social period in which he is likely to relate to older age, he consider himself grown up, but he often acts other wise.
He is an out , and out hero worshiper, his heroes may include parents, sport figures or other real-life persons or he may focus more on TV characters with superpowers, this is a good time to distinguish between imaginary characters and true Bible persons, so he needs to be encouraged to focus on great heroes of the Bible who were models of faith and who did great things for God.
He is easily distracted, because he is increasingly aware of other people. Mentally he is interested in such “thinking activities” as quizzes, table games, puzzles and mazes, he can work with puppets, help out on plays, memorizes easily.
Nine Year Old
His world is an adventure world full of exciting discoveries, he wants to learn more about people, places, nature and sciences.
By this age he must have his own copy of the Bible and be trained in its us.
He may spend a lot of time talking about his servants and helping on projects and may volunteer to get things ready for class, although he may already be experiencing peer influence he is looking for independent activity and adult approval and may attract attention himself in the hope of gaining a secure place in his servant’s affection.
Teenagers
Changes is a most dominant feature physically, their attitudes and relationship change, they are a bundle of contrasts of mixed feelings and ideas, when you capture them you can challenge them and see them accept the challenge.
At this time the body begins to mature sexually, so they tend to focus attention on self, sometimes they did not like themselves, as a result they may appear moody, unresponsive or shy. They may feel rejected by others, they may appear proud and aggressive trying to overcome their feelings of inadequacy.
They live in a kind of cult of peer group pressure, because they often consider themselves unlovable, under the pressure of the others in their age group. They need to be accepted and included as part of the group and they need to establish their own identities.
They are willing to follow good leadership the well equipped servant will be willing to hear (and even encourage) the questions of the students and to work with the class in dealing with the concerns and doubts.