We may earn money or products from the companies mentioned in this post.
As a parent, it can be disheartening to hear your children say hurtful things to each other. It’s easy to feel guilty and wonder where you went wrong. But rather than getting caught up in the negativity, it’s important to be proactive and teach children the value of kindness.
In this object lesson, we use toothpaste to demonstrate how words can have the power of life or death, as Proverbs 12:18 tells us. Toothpaste, like words, can either heal and encourage or make a mess and hurt others. We want to use our words to bring joy and comfort to those around us.
To demonstrate this concept, we can give children tubes of toothpaste and ask them to squirt the toothpaste onto a plate while thinking of hurtful things they might say to someone. Then, we ask them to try and put the toothpaste back in the tube with a Q-tip. They’ll quickly realize it’s impossible, just like how hurtful words cannot be taken back.
The lesson emphasizes that we want our words to be life-giving, just like toothpaste keeps our mouths healthy. As Proverbs 16:24 tells us, pleasant words are like a honeycomb, bringing sweetness to the soul and health to the bones. We want to be known for our gentleness and compassion and use our words to uplift and encourage those around us.
Teaching children the importance of kindness and using our words wisely can help create a world filled with love and positivity.
