The Care Provided to Children
The Main Idea of the Lecture
The lecture of His Holiness Pope Shenouda III emphasizes that caring for the child begins before birth and extends through all stages of growth, and that it is a shared responsibility between the family, the Church, and society. The child, in the Coptic Orthodox understanding, is a divine gift and soft clay shaped by proper upbringing, love, and good example.
First: Care Before Birth
Care includes the physical and psychological attention to the pregnant mother, because her psychological state affects the fetus. The Church views the human being as an integrated unity, requiring a healthy spiritual and psychological environment from the beginning.
Second: Upbringing by Transmission and Example
Upbringing is not only theoretical teaching, but a transmission of spiritual life through example and practice. The child learns prayer, making the sign of the cross, and memorizing psalms and hymns by seeing and hearing in his home. In early childhood, the principle of “transmission” prevails, then understanding and explanation come in later stages.
Third: Love as the Foundation of Upbringing
Love is the first foundation in raising a child, but it does not mean wrong pampering. The child who does not find love in his home searches for it outside, and may deviate because of emotional emptiness. Therefore, he must feel acceptance and containment within the family and the Church.
Fourth: Guidance with Wisdom, Not Harshness
The child’s mistakes should be treated without harshness or intimidation, especially by not establishing a wrong image of God as quick to anger. Successful upbringing depends on positivity and on what His Holiness called the “policy of substitution,” meaning replacing wrong with right without excessive focus on punishment.
Fifth: Trust and Friendship Within the Family
It is necessary that a relationship of trust be established between the child and his parents, so that he confesses to them without fear. The absence of trust and the abundance of suspicion and strict punishments push children to seek guides outside the home, instead of the parents being the first spiritual guide.
Sixth: The Role of the Church and Society
Caring for the child is a shared responsibility: the family, the Sunday School servant, the priest, the school, and society. Attention must also be given to the content presented to children, such as stories and educational means, focusing on what develops thought and faith in a way suitable for their age.
Seventh: Faith in Childhood
Childhood is the stage of simple faith. The child is not burdened with complex theological explanations, but faith is delivered to him in simplicity, then explained gradually as he matures and understands.
The Spiritual Essence
The main message is that sincere love, good example, and balanced spiritual upbringing from an early age are the guarantee for raising a child firm in his faith, attached to his Church, and protected against deviations.
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