Kid Friendly Top Ten

Recently, on a long distance car trip, I took a caffeine break at a well-known fast food outlet on the edge of Melbourne. I don’t expect this chain to do much else except add to childhood obesity and provide clean toilets, but there on the counter was a large stack of leaflets entitled A Child Friendly Community. What followed was a list of ‘child friendly challenges’ that I wished I had thought of placing in our church foyer. Here they are.

1. Smile at a child – you were once a child.
2. Let a parent with kids go ahead of you in the queue.
3. Donate your clothing, furniture or toys for the use of another family.
4. Cook a meal for parents with a newborn baby.
5. Be supportive to a parent in a difficult situation.
6. Be an extra eye for parents with an energetic child.
7. Understand that all parents are imperfect, so be less critical of them.
8. Obey designated pram carparks.
9. Be courteous and tolerant if you are driving near school drop off/pick up zones.
10. Take delight in children having fun.  They will brighten your day.
    

More than just brightening your day, children can be an instrument of their Heavenly Father. Skipping out of church the other week, a young girl spied me in the foyer and changed her direction to give me an impulsive knee hug. “The peace of the Lord for you,” she said, as she happily continued on her way. I felt abundantly blessed.

Marlene Pietsch