Let the Little Children Come to Me

Breaking Cycles of Poverty Where They Start

Overview

Prayer

Early Childhood Development

Scripture and Mission

Promising Paradigms

Putting it in practice

Who are you?

Christian

Father

Educator

New Yorker

Writer

Entrepreneur

Who shapes a child more than anyone else?

Parents

When do parents wieldtheir greatest influence?

Birth to 5

Brain Development: Speed

Brain Development: Sensitivity

Parenting MattersSource: The Brookings Institution StudyThe Parenting Gap

Parenting Matters: Income & Parenting QualitySource: The Brookings Institution StudyThe Parenting Gap

The Income GapSource: Pew Economic Mobility Project

Return on InvestmentSource: James Heckman, Nobel laureate in EconomicsUniversity of Chicago

Connecting the Dots

Parenting

Networks

OpportunityIncome

Education

Scripture and Mission

What does Luke recount was the mission of John the Baptist?

“And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God, and he will go before [Jesus] in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared.”

Luke 1:17

The Great Reconciliation

God

Growing in the Story

Initiation

IndoctrinationIndwelling

Do habits matter?

"It makes no small difference, then whether we form habits of one kind or of another from our very youth; it makes a very great difference, or rather all the difference."

Aristotle, Ethics Book II

Love and Latency

Love

LiteratureLanguage

Worship

“It was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified.”

Galatians 3:1

How can we make our public worship welcoming to children?

Honoring the Poor

God has chosen them“Listen, my beloved brothers, has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom, which he has promised to those who love him?”

James 2:5

Honoring the Poor

Their Gifts Matter More“Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the offering box.”

Mark 12:43

How do we honor the poor?

Community

“If you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? . . . You therefore must be perfect, as your Heavenly Father is perfect.”

Matthew 5:46,48

How can we grow in community with the poor?

Promising Paradigms

Jeremiah Program• Safe, affordable housing• Parent education• Life skills training• Career development• Child care• Preschool

Promising Paradigms

Talitha Koum• Therapeutic nursery• Baby mentoring• Disability testing• Parenting classes• Job training assistance

Promising Paradigms

Believe to Become• Baby Scholars• Parent University• Public Health• Public Education• After school programs• Summer learning• Gatherings of Hope

Putting it in Practice

Turn to your neighbors and discuss in your places your experiences of:1. Early Learning Initiatives2. Multi-generation/parenting programs3. Creative family engagement

Conclusion

1. Early childhood is the critical period2. Parents are the key stakeholders3. Christ calls us to families4. Our work is formation, not just education5. Promising paradigms are holistic

Questions?

Thanks for coming!

Resources: grahamscharf.com/mercy