A FEW REMARKS ON 7-8 YEAR OLDS’ PSYCHOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT AND EDUCATION IN THE FAITH

1 – Awakening of the Intelligence and education in the faith

The small child receives life and faith through his close family without question.

From seven onwards, the intelligence awakens: the child opens himself up to the world and starts asking a lot of questions. The child is thirsty for knowledge and wants to understand the reason behind everything. The child needs to reflect, and simplistic answers will not satisfy him.

The catechist, by listening to the questions, will show their importance and legitimacy. The catechist will help the child understand that he can enter into the mystery of God without ever exhausting it.

This is a privileged moment for education in the faith which involves listening to the child’s first deep questions about God, the meaning of life, the meaning of death etc. The catechist will have to nurture the child’s faith by imparting a solid and structured knowledge. Here, the Word of God will be very precious in order to shed light on the child’s needs and questions.

2 – Growth and development of the Christian life

The 7 year old child is full of life. His personality starts growing; he needs to know himself, to find his bearings and look up to strong role-models. Getting to know his ancestors in the faith will help and guide him in his first experiences. The living Christ will attract him and will help him grow up with integrity of deed and word.

3 –  Freedom’s first experiences and moral conscience

The Child is torn between the desire for autonomy and the need for security. He may be daring in his actions, but he does not have sufficient understanding to measure the consequences of his acts and words. The child experiences his own limitations, his failures and his first sins. These experiences of evil in him and around him can make him feel helpless and weak.

The awakening of his conscience, prepared by an interior education, will allow him to judge rightly the concrete situations of life. His conscience will enable him to go deeper and further, and will free him from a heavy feeling of guilt. The conscience will preserve him and heal him from fear, selfishness and pride. (Cf CCC 1783-1785).

By introducing him to the sacrament of reconciliation, the catechist will allow him to experience forgiveness and inner freedom, in order to continue his journey as a child of the light. There, he will experience the mercy of God. This will prove a foundational experience for his whole life.

4 – Social life and experience of the Church as a family

The child finds joy in stepping out of his close family circle and getting to meet others. He loves to share and play with other children. As a child of God, he discovers that he is also a child of the Church. He will enjoy discovering his Church family and entering into it through the liturgy. He will gladly share his discoveries with others and will bear witness to his faith in his own family.

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