Heaven 101

Recently, I’ve been trying out a new addition to our bedtime routine with the boys. Our faith is very important to us and I was feeling the need to start teaching some more specific elements of that faith to my sons. I decided that I would start with telling them stories each night about Jesus and other prophets of God in such a way that they would begin to understand the basics of our religion. At the time, I did not realize how difficult this was going to be.

Things like prayer, heaven, and even a Heavenly Father are pretty abstract concepts for a two year old to grasp. My first carefully selected tales about Daniel and the Lion’s Den or Jonah and the Whale were met with blank stares, then requests for their Mickey Mouse book. This was not turning out the way I had imagined it in my head.

Then I remembered how much the boys had loved their little Nativity set at Christmas and how interested they were in Baby Jesus. So I turned my focus (where it should have been originally) to our Savior.

That first night, I began talking about Baby Jesus and how he had grown up into a great man. “Baby Jesus grew up like Dadda?” They asked.

“Um, sort of. He did grow up into a man – yes.” Then I started to tell them stories about His love for us all.

“Momma, where is Jesus?” asked Tommy.

“He is up in heaven watching over us, keeping us safe, and making sure that we are being good boys and girls.” I was pretty proud of myself for sneaking in that Good Boy bit.

“Where is heaven?” was the inevitable reply.

Again, trying to keep things basic and simple I said “Heaven is up in the sky, in the clouds so that Jesus and Heavenly Father can look down and see what we are doing.”

“Can I go to heaven?” asked Michael.

“Of course you can sweetie. We can all go to heaven if we are good.” I said, very pleased with the way this was turning out.

“Can we ride the blue train there and eat apples and candy?” Michael is getting very excited now.

Wait... What’s happening here?

“And play with the toys and the train?!!!” Tommy is joining in on the fun.

Uh...

“I want to go to Heaven right now Momma!!!!”

At that point, I tried to explain that we wouldn’t be going to heaven for a very long time, which was met with tears and sobs of “No, not later – right now!!!” After about five minutes and zero progress explaining this, I grew frustrated and blurted out “You don’t go to heaven until after you die!” As soon as I said it, I wanted those words back, not because my boys even really know what death is right now, but because I knew what their response was going to be...

“I want to die!!!!!!”

I had never figured on hearing those words from the mouths of my toddlers and I was completely dismayed. I decided to call it a night. After soothing them a little bit and singing some songs, they were ready to sleep.

But my mind would not stop spinning. What a failure. I’m not cut out for this, I thought. I can’t even teach my sons about heaven without it turning into a disaster! What will happen when they need to learn the serious, soul searching, life altering stuff??? I did not sleep well that night and the following nights brought no stories about heaven because I couldn’t bear to have that conversation again. I simply left it with Jesus and Heavenly Father love us and they are watching over us.

Now what?

As I have done so often in the past, I did not give my little boys enough credit. Last night after putting the boys down, Kamaki went to check on them and came back laughing. He said “They are back there singing to some made up tune – We’re all going to go to heaven with Jesus if we are good boys! And Mama will be there, and Dada, and Baby Sister, and Tutu Mom, and Nana and Papa, and Tutu Man, and Auntie!” He said they went on and on listing everyone we know that was going to heaven, including their baby sister about 5 times - until Tommy stopped the song to inform Michael that they already got baby sister – then back to listing more people.

Apparently, something got through to them. And now, I just need to find the courage to keep teaching them more. Cause isn’t that what this parenting gig is all about?