The corrupting influences on our children about love and marriage start long before kindergarten. Parents need to start talking about their marriage with their children early and reinforce the reality of its meaning and beauty to them.
Every child and every situation is different, but here are some tips that might help as you develop your own strategy.
The reality of marriage is best explained by reinforcing what children already know — you’re irreplaceable to them and in their eyes, their mom and dad are irreplaceable to each other. They can’t imagine them apart. But explain, that does not happen by accident, only by following God’s plan.
“First, mom and dad chose to make ourselves irreplaceable to each other. That is what marriage is and it prepared us to make a family for you. God’s got a pretty good plan, don’t you think?"
It is good to talk about the importance of kinship that they will recognize because it has been stamped on their hearts by God. Who has Daddy’s eyes and Mommy’s nose? St. John Paul II taught about how important it is to recognize the intergenerational aspects of marriage and family — everyone irreplaceable to each other.
Make yours and the grandparents' wedding anniversaries special events for the family and the children because of the choices that started the ongoing circles of irreplaceability. Make it a celebration of God’s plan for creation.