1. The Sunday School Child
Speaker
Dr Lydia Taiwo

2. Sunday Children Different types of children come to Sunday School
Age ranges
Age ranges from 0 to 12 years.
Nursery and Primary School age
2– 5 years
6 -10 years plus
Secondary School age
11 plus

3. Sunday School Children
Children in church fall into three categories:
Children in Christian homes who are not saved
Children in Christian homes who are saved
Children who are saved and parents or guardians who are not saved

4. Categories of Children
Children in care
Foster children are removed from everything they are familiar with and placed in a home that is probably out of their neighbourhood, has different inhabitants, and is generally as strange as a foreign country.

5. Children from Divorced Parents
The word “Family” has been associated
with feelings of safety, security and loyalty. Therefore when parents choose to end the marriage, children can feel that they have also lost their family, safety and security

6. Adopted Children
Being Adopted.....is a lifelong issue. Even if it doesn't haunt you, even if you have a job and a family and a good self-image, the fact that the family that you grew up with is not the family whose genetics you share never goes away

7. How does the child feel?
There is still a vacuum in the heart of that child, a question – who are my real parents?
grief and abandonment
Many feel unloved, scared, vulnerable and find it difficult to trust anybody

8. The Abused Child
Physical abuse
Sexual abuse
Neglect
Emotional abuse

9. How does the abused child feel?
Fear Sexually abused children often feel that they have done something wrong and are fearful that their family will reject them.
Guilt and Shame Children often blame and hate themselves

10. How does the abused child feel?
Confusion If I tell, I will get into trouble.
Depression and Isolation Children may be depressed if they believe that everyone knows about the abuse

11. Children with Disability
A disadvantage or deficiency, especially a physical or mental impairment that interferes with or prevents normal achievement in a particular area
Families with disabled children do not feel welcome in church or attend church

12. Children’s Disability
Types of disability
anything that disables or puts one at a disadvantage
hard of hearing
physical disability – loss of a limb etc
speech impairment
children with behaviour problems - Autism

13. Sick Children
Some children go in and out of hospital and will do so all the days of their lives except if God decides to intervene and heal them.
Examples of illnesses or diseases
Children with hereditary disorders – Sickle Cell Disease, Haemophilia, Down’s Syndrome, Leukaemia and other such illnesses

14. How does the disabled or sick child feel?
A burden
It’s all my fault
Why can’t I be like other kids?
Why can’t I play like other kids?
Disabled and sick children must be responded to as individuals with their own specific needs, feelings, thoughts and opinions

15. General effects on the child
Focusing is very difficult.
Sense of emotional numbness-can last for varying length of time, depending on child * Reduced ability to concentrate * Major changes in eating and sleeping patterns * Roller coaster of emotional highs and lows

16. General effects on the child
Frustration
Rebellion
Lonely
Hurt
Puzzled
Disappointed
Isolated
Angry and anxious

17. How do the children behave in Sunday School

18. Child Behaviour Good behaviour Bad behaviour including the following:
Behaving aggressively towards the teachers,
Hurting other children in the class
Disrupting the class session
Hyperactive
Quiet and not responsive
Unhappy

19. We have all these children in our midst

20. How can we engage with such children?
Pray and seek God’s face earnestly for revelation, redemption and restoration for the child.
Get to know the child and be patient with them
Earn their trust
Get to know the parents of the child and be an encouragement to them.

21. What else can we do?
Teach the children the word of God, let them know about the heavenly father we have.
We need to love unconditionally
Let us be a part of shaping the lives of the children in our midst – through the word of God
Children need support. A safe place where they can express themselves, without worrying about anything bad happening to them
Mentoring and role models
Speak positive words to the children

22. What else? Pray for unsaved parents
Pray for parents who are known to abuse children and bring it to the attention of the child protection co-ordinator in the church
Pray for the salvation of the little children
Teach the children to pray every day
Ministry to the disabled

23. What else continued? The Law – Child Protection’s Act POVC/ POVA CRB
Legal responsibilities of adults and leaders

24. And if we don’t?
God will ask everyone of us when it is our time to stand before Him on the day of judgement

25. Questions and Prayer
Questions
Prayers