Advice about Bible read-aloud with my son

Post by **_Seth** » Tue Jan 22, 2008 12:00 pm

Hey all,

My pastor encourages everyone in our church to read through the Bible every year, and I've been doing it for the past few years. Each year, I pick a different translation and give it a readthrough. Last year, I finally went with the actual "Through the Bible" plan our church puts out, and I found that reading the NT one chapter at a time was teeeeedious. I decided that this year, I'd read it through in larger chunks so I'd get the context better.

Then I 180'd. I decided we'd have Family Bible Reading Time after dinner. I'm reading through my son's NIV "Adventure Bible" (I've never read through an NIV) aloud at the dinner table after we've finished eating. One chapter at a time. But I'm really enjoying it, since my son has some hilarious interpretations/comments on the text.

And now...my concern/question. My son is six, and I'm not sure what to do about passages dealing with subjects I'd rather he wasn't exposed to. For instance, anything dealing with divorce, or adultery/sexual immorality. Part of it is, I don't want to answer those questions yet.

Any advice? I know that at some point, he'll be a proficient enough reader that he'll be able to read it for himself, but until then, am I wrong to hesitate here?

-Seth

Post by **_Allyn** » Tue Jan 22, 2008 12:26 pm

I appreciate you wanting to read aloud at your dinner table, and I hate to be a downer, but I prefer the lead by daily example approach with my children and then encourage a daily time of personal study. Take every opportunity to show the ways the Bible illustrations are manifested in our daily walk. Say things like "see how God worked in that situation?" or "Lets just stop and pray about this right now". Bible reading is important, but from my experience my children remember Bible principles because they witnessed them in real life today examples.

Post by **_Christopher** » Tue Jan 22, 2008 12:37 pm

Hi Seth,

I also have a six year old and I personally will not read him certain passages of an adult Bible for the very reasons you listed. Even the parts we do read, I censor a little.

The Bible is one of the most graphic and scary books I know and I think the subject matter needs to be introduced in age appropriate stages IMO.

They make children's bibles that gloss over that stuff yet give the framework of the history of the stories.

Just my personal opinion.

Post by **_Rae** » Tue Jan 22, 2008 1:11 pm

We do the same with our 5 1/2 year old. We've talked about divorce because her grandparents are divorced. But we definitely steer clear of some of the Old Testament stories... we use the little children's bible books for those (and then just change it when the book gets the story wrong!)

Post by **_Seth** » Tue Jan 22, 2008 6:18 pm

Thanks for all the responses. I'll put a filter on my read-aloud, then deal with questions when they come up from *his* reading.

Post by **_TK** » Tue Jan 22, 2008 6:58 pm

i just read finished reading through the latter half of Genesis for my "one year" plan. definitely a lot of R-rated material, to say the least.

i always get a kick out of this:

So Sarai said to Abram, “The Lord has prevented me from having children. Go and sleep with my servant. Perhaps I can have children through her.” And Abram agreed with Sarai’s proposal. Gen. 16:2

abram didn't put up much of a fight!

TK

Post by **_anothersteve** » Tue Jan 22, 2008 7:10 pm

Just to show that all kids are not the same. I started reading the bible with my daughter when she was almost 7 using the NLT. I decided not to filter anything. When I read the part about Lot in Sodom and then his encounter with his daughters, my daughter made the following comment.

"Do you know what I like about the bible? (in comparison to her children's bible), it gives you the details".

She has been fascinated with the stories in the bible (including the ones without violence etc..

) Not leaving out any parts has certainly generated discussion. I’ve also found that it keeps a clearer overall picture of things when we discuss anything in the bible with her. To be honest, I was a little surprised at how well she was able to listen to the graphic stories....it didn't seem to phase her at all.....other than the occasional emotional response like "Why would she/he do that!" etc... Even when she expresses those kinds of emotion, I've still found it to be a good time for discussion and learning.

I think each parent needs to be familiar with what’s appropriate for their own children

Post by **_TK** » Wed Jan 23, 2008 8:07 am

Steve:

I think your decision not to censor is commendable, but i have a question.

I am pretty sure the NLT version of the Lot/sodom story says that the men of sodom demanded Lot's visitors so they could "have sex" with them. Then there is the story of Dinah's brothers tricking the men who offended them into getting circumcised, so they could massacre them while they were too sore to defend themselves.

how did you deal with those passages? i am looking for practical advice.

TK

Post by **_Seth** » Wed Jan 23, 2008 11:43 am

TK wrote:Then there is the story of Dinah's brothers tricking the men who offended them into getting circumcised, so they could massacre them while they were too sore to defend themselves.

I have to admit I've always found this story a little bit hilarious. Probably because I have three sisters and can identify with Simeon and Levi's thinking...

I'm only doing the NT readthrough at dinner time. I do my OT reading alone in the wee hours of the morning. Although I *did* read Genesis 1-2 to my son.

-Seth

Post by **_anothersteve** » Wed Jan 23, 2008 12:03 pm

Hi TK, I think the first time I encountered the words "have sex" I broke into a cold sweat and used a euphemism. When I realized that my daughter didn't seem to have a problem with the situation I decided to read it as written (she's 8 now, so she's at the point where she can read it herself as well). I figured she's likely heard words like that from other kids etc... so it ends up being a good learning time as well (to talk about God's idea of sex.....being a girl, she doesn’t seem as interested in the particulars as she is in the relational aspect)

As far as circumcision, we simply explained to her what it is.

I figured it's better that we introduce her to all these various issues, rather that someone else. My reasoning could be wrong but if someone else points out the violence in the bible etc... then it may seem like we were trying to hide something from her and that there are issues in the bible that we're embarrassed by. I also figured that it's God's word, so I should trust Him and not be afraid to let her hear the stories.

She's comfortable talking with us, so if there was anything that was "freaking her out" she would likely tell us. There are a lot of things in life that trouble her WAY more than anything she hears in the bible.