Peacemaking for Toddlers & Preschoolers

I received this email yesterday (the most recent one in a number of similar inquiries) and I’m thinking that I might try to put some proposals together for books for toddlers and preschoolers that emphasize peacemaking and relationships.

Here is the email:

Hi Tara, I pray you are doing well this afternoon. Thanks for all the work you do to share the work and ministry of peacemaking women with all of us… I’m thankful for what I’ve learned from your ministry.

Hey, I’ve got an idea for a topic that might be a great future book, discussion topic for your discussion board, blog entry, whatever. I’ve got three daughters, ages 1, 3 and 4, who are learning things EVERY day. As they grow, they also have their own share of conflicts with each other, etc. I know Peacemaker Ministries has some material for teaching older elementary children Biblical principles for peacemaking, but I’d love to learn something more about teaching my children at their ages in ways they understand some of the keys for Biblical peacemaking. (Am I making any sense?) I’m excited about continuing to teach them these very important principles as they grow older, but it seems to me that this young preschool age is so foundational for learning in all areas including this one.

Anyway, I wondered if there was anything out there for teaching very young children about Biblical peacemaking. Perhaps it’s not a workbook, but just something written for parents to get us thinking the right direction as we parent our children. I’ve been rather impressed lately with the incredible responsibility we have in nurturing our children as well as how easy it is to shift focus from doing things to please the Lord as a response to His wonderful grace to being legalistic or judgemental about things instead.

You had some brief discussion of this in your book, Peacemaking Women. Unfortunately for this e-mail, I’ve lent the book to a friend so can’t refer directly to the chapter and page that stood out to me. I remember you using the example of the toddler throwing a tantrum at the park and offering a possible dialogue that could come out of this sort of situation. If you were to offer something of this sort more extensively, I imagine there would be many parents excited to benefit from this resource… Or perhaps you have dreams of writing a book on another topic. Maybe this would be a good topic for discussion on the discussion board or a good thing to write on in your blog?

Thanks for listening! Again, I appreciate the work that you do in addition to your very full days as a mother, friend, and wife! — Jana

What do you think? Any ideas? Suggestions?

Thanks and blessings,
Tara B.