Essay on Childhood Spirituality Definition
Read the following statement and provide a response.
Spirituality is defined in Module Seven as “an awareness or consciousness of the surrounding world, a sense of compassion and love towards this world and anything in it” (Saint Leo University, Module 7). Likewise, spiritual experiences occur when our spirituality is reflected in our thoughts and actions. Dr. Mata explains that spirituality is displayed in everyday experiences and interactions, including early childhood settings (What is Spirituality in Early Childhood Education?, 2018). The four areas that prompt or evoke spiritual experiences for young children are joy, concern for others, relationships, and imagination. Each example explores authentic and natural opportunities for children to observe, reflect, and sometimes react.
Children are very free in their expressions and respond authentically when they see others in need or hurt. I would agree children are conscious of their surroundings and display compassion with their responses of concern for others. For example, if a child falls, other children typically respond by asking if they are okay, getting an adult or bandaids, and even grimacing at the incident.
All actions are illustrations of children’s connectedness to one another and the world around them.
