Children are always learning. Before they can read a book, understand a lesson, or fully explain their thoughts, children are watching, listening, and absorbing the world around them. They are learning from the words we speak, the actions we demonstrate, the choices we make, and the environments we create.

Before children can fully engage in learning, they need to feel safe, connected, and understood. They need opportunities to practice how to be a friend, how to communicate their needs, and how to solve the everyday problems that naturally happen when children learn and play together. That is why HeartSkills: Circle Time with Puppet Pals was created. Introducing the first digital unit in the HeartSkills series:

I've come to realize this simple truth: Children reveal our teaching strategies. Jesus reveals our hearts.

As I prayed about returning to the blog, I didn't want to jump into something completely different. Instead, I wanted to continue the conversation because I believe the Lord is still teaching me—and perhaps teaching you—that our children's everyday words and actions give us opportunities to disciple their hearts.

Jesus wasn't simply teaching about speech. He was teaching that our words reveal what fills our hearts. If our hearts are filled with God's truth, love, and grace, those qualities will begin to overflow in our conversations. If our hearts are filled with fear, anger, jealousy, selfishness, or hurt, those things eventually come out through our words as well.

Reel Theme: Moxie shares she still mistakes and I do too. Together we bring awareness that as a disciple of Jesus we are always learning and that God is teaching us everyday to become more like Jesus.

Family engagement is much more than attending special events or volunteering in the classroom. It is creating meaningful partnerships that help children develop the social, emotional, and character skills they need to build healthy relationships throughout their lives.

One small Heart Skills: Circle Time with Puppet Pals each week can become the beginning of stronger friendships, more peaceful classrooms, and children who are learning to treat others with kindness—not because someone tells them to, but because they are practicing it together.

A child walks into the classroom and sees two friends whispering together. Neither friend looks in the child’s direction, so the child immediately thinks, They are talking about me. They do not want me here.

“Who should I listen to when people say things that I know are wrong and do not go along with what Jesus is teaching me?”

This does not mean we dishonor our parents. Honoring our parents does not mean repeating everything they did. We can love them, respect them, and still allow God to renew our minds and teach us a different way.

Many young children naturally want to be involved in what the adults around them are doing. They ask, "Can I help?" They want to stir the batter, carry the laundry basket, wipe the table, or pick up toys. Although it may take longer to complete a task with little helpers beside us, these moments are building something far more valuable than a clean home—they are building hearts that learn to serve others with joy.

When mothers strive to follow Jesus daily, children receive a living example of faith. They learn that obedience is not just something we talk about on Sunday. It is something we practice every day in our homes, our relationships, and our choices.

One way children can stand strong is by remembering God's commandment to love others as Jesus loves us. Sometimes that means refusing to join in when others are being unkind. Other times it means telling the truth when it would be easier to lie.

"Because the Lord disciplines the one He loves, and He chastens everyone He accepts as His son." — Hebrews 12:6 (NIV)

At the end of the school year, many parents naturally pause to celebrate milestones—reading progress, behavior growth, new friendships, and independence. These are meaningful moments worth acknowledging. But there’s another question worth sitting with as the school year closes: What have we learned about love?

This week, God showed me that my relationship with Him comes before ministry, business, platforms, opportunities, and the opinions of others. Before the work, there is worship. Before the assignment, there is intimacy with the Father. And His love never fails.

Sometimes doing the right thing can feel difficult, especially when others around us are making different choices. In today’s read-aloud, Daniel and the Very Hungry Lions, children will learn about Daniel’s courage, obedience, prayer life, and trust in God even when others opposed him.

Classroom Reflection Activity Take a few quiet moments this week to reflect on the following questions: What moments this week required flexibility? How did a child’s emotional need become the real lesson? What would change if we viewed interruptions as opportunities? Consider journaling your reflections or discussing them with another educator. Sometimes the greatest growth happens when we pause long enough to recognize how God is already working within the cla

Sometimes parents become so focused on what a child is not yet doing that they unintentionally miss the beautiful ways God is already working within them. The world constantly pushes comparison, performance, and pressure. It becomes easy to measure children against timelines, social expectations, school standards, or even other siblings and peers.