Someone once asked me what I wanted my preschooler to be like when they were 21. I thought about it and answered:
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They then explained to me that if I wanted to train my children in these character qualities, the best time to start was while they were preschoolers.
"Teach your children to choose the right path, and when they are older, they will remain upon it" Proverbs 22:6 (NLT)
This is the essence of Seedlings.
The Seedlings model
Seedlings is a training programme for preschoolers created out of a desire to support parents seeking to fulfill their God-given mandate to bring up their children in the ways of the Lord.
"Hear, O Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD alone. And you must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength. And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands I am giving you today. Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are away on a journey, when you are lying down and when you are getting up again." - Deuteronomy 6:4 (NLT)
It is based on a foundation of Biblical truth with the purpose of being a part of a child's journey to maturity in Jesus Christ.
"You have been taught the Holy Scriptures from childhood, and they have given you the wisdom to receive the salvation that comes by trusting in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realise what is wrong in our lives. It straightens us out and teaches us to do what is right." - Timothy 3:15-17 (NLT)
The primary focus of Seedlings is to support parents and caregivers as they work to produce character in their preschoolers. While character development is the primary focus of Seedlings, learning is in an inevitable outcome of the content and environment.
The Seedlings method is designed to work with small groups of families in the home environment, coming together for two hours per week to work with and encourage each other. It is a complementary tool to aid and encourage what is already happening in the home and community. Seedlings aims to encourage true community as families work and grow together.
"Share each other's troubles and problems, and in this way obey the law of Christ" - Galatians 6:2 (NLT)
About Amanda
Amanda Weaver lives in Upper Hutt, New Zealand with her husband Andrew and children Joshua, Ashlea, and Benjamin. Amanda was originally trained as a Travel Consultant before discovering her passion and gifting in education and training.
She has worked as a tutor and lecturer in a number of tertiary institutions in addition to a great deal of voluntary community and church work.
Since having children, Amanda continues her voluntary work and has completed a Bachelor of Education at Massey University. Amanda has a desire to see the programme help parents who want to connect with their preschoolers and build character in them.
She also wants to encourage parents/caregivers of young children to build relationships with one another as they work through the material together. Her desire and belief is that out of this groups of families will become a supportive community for one another.
