Never Say No: Raising Big Picture KidsSample

The Physical Space: An Environment for Discovery and Choice

Three small words describe all God’s creation, from expanding galaxies to invisible microbes: “It was good.” Then when God designed the ideal space for the first humans, He planted a garden. It was also good. So God gave them freedom to eat from every tree on the landscape, except one. There was a single tree, not many trees, that was forbidden. The garden experience was a widely varied, life-tasting feast of beauty, fragrance, flavors, sounds, and textures. Gardens are for growing.

This defines God’s parenting style: provide an open creative place that allows the child to grow. Discovery and choice are essential to God’s kid-friendly garden because each object a child inspects is both a choice and a moment of insight. This sense of wonder and curiosity is never meant to be lost.

Our babies evidence this eagerness by shoving each new object into open mouths, as if to say, “I want to know all I can about this world, engaging every single sense!” The more they see, touch, and taste, the more they learn. So as parents, we can encourage that enthusiastic curiosity. Of course, grown adults who still mouth objects would be strange and unhealthy, so how do we help our kids discriminate between dirt and doughnuts without killing their insatiable appetites to learn?

We parents are the child’s interpreters of this world. Is it safe? Not always. But we have the Maker who makes it safe. Just as God walked the garden with the first couple, we can hold His hand and our child’s in the other until the child’s grasp is fully transferred to God. The Master Guide then takes our child to adventures beyond what we, as parents, could dream. The Creator allows us—and our children—to be the bravest explorers of all, the most creative and courageous people on the planet.

We can take our cues from our heavenly Father, who can’t wait to show us a hidden waterfall or painted sky, or let us taste an exotic fruit or name a bizarre marine creature. He grants this intoxicating freedom to roam an enormous garden. So we can risk letting our children run through the whole yard. Our God offers both safety and discovery.