At the right, you see a cross - the crucifixion. Mary is the figure in the center. The lines coming down out of her eyes are tears. There are also clouds and another crying person... perhaps it is John. Caroline did not elaborate on that part when she was telling me about her drawing.
Another crucifixion drawing, this time in black and not quite so detailed as the first.Caroline has been quite interested in Jesus's death. Being Catholic, she has been exposed to crucifixes from a very young age. it is hard to decide how much to explain to her... we have a few children's Easter books, and she hears a lot during Mass (I am amazed at how well this child listens in church - I sure wasn't like that even at an older age! After Mass, she can often tell briefly what the homily was about, even.). Right now, she gets that Jesus died on a cross to save us from our sins and that he rose from the dead and is now in Heaven.
I suppose her drawings are her way of exploring it all...
i was going to ask you about what you were talking to caroline about this season. i've had a hard time approaching the subject with matt. i really want him to know the religious season more than the secular "easter bunny" one, but holy week is such a serious/adult topic. i've had a hard time talking about it. what books do you have that are good at introducing this?
ReplyDeletewe have one called The Easter Swallows, and then we have another one I think called The Very First Easter - that one is a little "deeper." The Easter Swallows is a sweet one, but it does talk about Jesus dying on a cross. The illustrations in both are appropriate for kids though - nothing gory. I guess talking about all this with Caroline really started because she was noticing things at church - the crucifix, mention of Jesus's death, etc. I think if she wasn't so observant, I would hold off on reading those books until she was a little older... but I don't want her to be worried about any of what she has picked up on, so we have tried to explain it on a basic level and with reassurance that Jesus is alive in heaven now, and we are just remembering how he died because it was very important. At first I think she was under the impression that Jesus was really dead after we went to the Stations of the Cross, but now she understands that we are just retelling the story.
ReplyDeletethanks erin, matt definitely isn't into church as much as caroline. he enjoys the music and likes to try and follow along in the hymnal & prayer book, but that is about it right now. other than telling him easter is a very important church holiday i haven't done much else with him this season. maybe next year he'll be a little more into it. i'll look for those books though... thanks!
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