--- title: Teaching Our Children to Read the Word of God description: Megan Swaim shares about her early reader's newfound love of Scripture. image: https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/teaching-our-children-f.jpg --- [![catholic-mom-logo-v2](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/images/catholic-mom-logo-v2.svg "catholic-mom-logo-v2")](https://www.catholicmom.com/) [![facebook](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-facebook.svg)](http://www.facebook.com/CatholicMomCommunity) [![twitter](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-twitter.svg)](http://twitter.com/CatholicMomCom) [![instagram](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-instagram.svg)](http://instagram.com/catholicmomcommunity) [![youtube](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-youtube.svg)](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAuUqHCVPDzyMgSMaMZxxug?view_as=subscriber) [![search-icon](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/search-icon.svg)](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/2019/01/07/teaching-our-children-to-read-the-word-of-god/#) # Teaching Our Children to Read the Word of God Jan 7, 2019 6:00:33 PM  |  by [Megan Swaim](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/author/megan-swaim) ![featured image](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/teaching-our-children-f.jpg) [!["Teaching our children to read the word of God" by Megan Swaim (CatholicMom.com)](http://catholicmom.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/teaching-our-children.jpg)](http://catholicmom.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/teaching-our-children.jpg) Image credit: [Pixabay.com](https://pixabay.com/en/kid-people-girl-child-sitting-2603857/) (2017), CC0 Public Domain[/caption] My oldest is learning to read this year. These months of school have been full of wonder and excitement. We both know that each lesson unlocks a new world for her – new words, new books, new knowledge. But I’d forgotten what it would also mean for her faith. During the final “O Antiphon” days of Advent, our little family gathered to pray Night Prayer around the lights on the Christmas tree. One evening, my husband called Lucy over to him and invited her to read the reading. She was hesitant because it is such a big book with lots of big words, but he assured her that it was a short reading and she would know almost all the words. So she sat and with the help of my husband, she read. The next night she was hesitant, but asked to read again. And now she wants to read everything she can. She imagines Jesus as a young boy learning to read the scrolls and the prayers. It’s enough to make my heart burst. Do you ever have those moments? Sometimes I feel overwhelmed by the power of this vocation and that all the things we teach them are oriented to the eternal. This was one of those moments. We’ve been working so hard to learn how to read this year, but in the midst of phonics lessons and sight words I’d forgotten that the end result will be that my children can read the Word of God. But that night it all came crashing over me like a giant wave - what an incredible gift it is to raise them and teach them to love Jesus. --- *Copyright 2019 Megan Swaim* ### Share this article [![Share on Facebook](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/facebook-24x24.png)](http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2F2019%2F01%2F07%2Fteaching-our-children-to-read-the-word-of-god%2F%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dfacebook) [![Share on Twitter](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/twitter-24x24.png)](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?original_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2F2019%2F01%2F07%2Fteaching-our-children-to-read-the-word-of-god%2F%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dtwitter&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2F2019%2F01%2F07%2Fteaching-our-children-to-read-the-word-of-god%2F%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dtwitter&source=tweetbutton&text=Teaching%20Our%20Children%20to%20Read%20the%20Word%20of%20God) [![Share on Email](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/email-24x24.png)](mailto:?subject=Check%20out%20https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2F2019%2F01%2F07%2Fteaching-our-children-to-read-the-word-of-god%2F%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Demail%20&body=Check%20out%20https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2F2019%2F01%2F07%2Fteaching-our-children-to-read-the-word-of-god%2F%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Demail) ** #### About the Author ![Megan Swaim](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/Contriubutors/MEGAN%20SWAIM.jpeg) ### [Megan Swaim](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/author/megan-swaim) Megan Swaim is an Indiana girl on an east coast adventure. A former high school youth minister, she now gets to minister full-time to her three young daughters and her husband Josh. Megan spends her days homeschooling at the kitchen table, drinking iced coffee, and exploring coastal Virginia. ## Related Blog Articles [ 5 Things That Happened when I Read the Bible in One Year Read ](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/5-things-that-happened-when-i-read-the-bible-in-one-year) [ Our Little Bedroom Abbey Read ](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/2013/05/13/our-little-bedroom-abbey) [ Tech Talk: Storytime with the Sisters Read ](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/2020/05/12/tech-talk-storytime-with-the-sisters/) ## Comments ## Donate now [![Support Catholic Mom](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/275132/10016573-1c5c-4aa5-baba-c2ac91fe7545.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/275132/10016573-1c5c-4aa5-baba-c2ac91fe7545) [![CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c (002)](https://www.catholicmom.com/hs-fs/hubfs/CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c%20(002).png?width=1806&height=731&name=CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c%20(002).png "CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c (002)")](https://www.catholicmom.com/) ##### Subscribe to Catholic Momcast on iTunes or Spotify [![itunes-logo-black](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/logos/itunes-logo-black.svg)](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/catholic-momcast/id1362352357)[![spotify-logo-black](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/logos/spotify-logo-black.svg)](https://open.spotify.com/show/15CoipHL7z61IDcYErV0b8?si=hqaQJSxDQgq7S1hxCwsoxQ) ##### CatholicMom on Social Networks [![facebook](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-facebook.svg)](http://www.facebook.com/CatholicMomCommunity) [![twitter](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-twitter.svg)](http://twitter.com/CatholicMomCom) [![instagram](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-instagram.svg)](http://instagram.com/catholicmomcommunity) [![youtube](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-youtube.svg)](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAuUqHCVPDzyMgSMaMZxxug?view_as=subscriber) ##### About Catholic Mom [Who We Are](https://www.catholicmom.com/about-us) [Contact Us](https://www.catholicmom.com/contact) [Support CatholicMom.com](https://www.catholicmom.com/support-us)   ##### Associated Links [Holy Cross Family Ministries](https://www.hcfm.org/) [Family Rosary](https://www.familyrosary.org/) [Family Theater Productions](https://www.familytheater.org/) [Congregation of the Holy Cross](https://www.holycrossusa.org/) [Father Patrick Peyton, C.S.C.](https://www.fatherpeyton.org/) [The Peyton Institute for Domestic Church Life](https://www.peytonfamilyinstitute.org/) ### **Stay connected!** Don’t miss a thing! 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