TOB (Theology of the Body) for Kids

TOB (Theology of the Body) for Kids

Young children are bombarded with “woke” language and ideology earlier and earlier in life. From books that normalize transgenderism to school curriculum that does the same, our world has moved further and further away from a society that values the human body. No longer are our bodies seen as gifts.

What are parents to do? Their best option is to instill the core tenets of Theology of the Body.

What is Theology of the Body?

The Theology of the Body is a collection of 129 papal addresses given by Pope John Paul II from September 5, 1979, through November 28, 1984, during his Wednesday general audiences. In these addresses, the pope talked about the unique and holy love between a man and a woman. He taught that marriage is a sacrament and spoke about the dangers of contraception. He taught about the gift of the human body.

TOB answers the questions many of us have pondered or asked sometime in our lives. For instance:

• What is the purpose of life?
• What does it mean that we are created in the image and likeness of God?
• Why did God create us as male and female?
• What is the purpose of marriage?
• What is love?

The Theology of the Body offers beautiful explanations for why we must consider our bodies as gifts, not only from God, but to others.

These can be heavy topics, even for adults! And authors such as Brian Butler and Jason Evert have created wonderful adaptations for middle schoolers and teens.

But what about for younger kids? Shouldn’t we start teaching these concepts earlier in life?

Indeed! When basic concepts are instilled at a younger age, they begin to take root.

So how do we build that necessary foundation of love and respect for our bodies with kids as young as preschool? And do kids this young even need to know this?

The answer to this second question, of course, is yes. We all know that children are like sponges. They soak up information—bad and good—from the world around them. Because today’s world offers so much erroneous information regarding the human body, we must teach young children the fundamentals of TOB.

When children learn these basic truths—such as the fact that every person has dignity and that our bodies are gifts—they can build upon these truths as they grow.

Why is TOB important for young children?

The public-school system is becoming increasingly dangerous for children when it comes to sexuality. The evidence is plentiful.  [The following evidence’ is from the USA but it is becoming common in Africa too as NGOs and Governments are pressurised to adopt the CSE curriculum]

Take, for instance, the Gender Unicorn model. This smiling and happy-looking creature teaches that it’s okay if a person wants to change his or her sex. According to the Discovery Institute—an organization that “works with state legislators, policymakers, key leaders, and parents to promote meaningful and lasting change to our nation’s education system”—the unicorn is designed to look endearing to young children…. However, this unicorn walks students through self-selecting their gender identity, their ‘gender expression’, the gender they’re physically attracted to, and the gender they’re emotionally attracted to. Each option includes not only categories such as women/men and feminine/masculine but also “other.” Even their “sex assigned at birth” is open to interpretation—it includes female and male, but also “other/intersex.”

In other words, the Gender Unicorn promotes confusion during a very delicate time of life.

Keri Ingraham of the Discovery Institute gives readers an in-depth example of the type of indoctrination kids encounter at school:

A concerned parent of a second-grade student reached out to the teacher after her child was exposed to the Genderbread Person series [similar to the Gender Unicorn] without any prior communication. The teaching of gender identity and fluidity and other LGBTQ concepts in social studies and science often come with no warning or option for parents to opt their students out.

Her concerns were dismissed and the request for a meeting with the teacher to discuss was denied. Instead, the teacher directed the parent to the principal, who responded that gender identity is something our society historically has failed to talk about and declared it a positive development that students are being taught about this topic now.

Furthermore, the principal stated that gender identity teaching would occur throughout the school year in all subject areas. And while some states allow opt-out in health classes, the principal reminded the parent that the opt-in option does not apply to non-health classes.

In addition, parents should be very concerned about a document entitled Schools in Transition:

A Guide for Supporting Transgender Students in K-12 Schools. This document was jointly produced by the American Civil Liberties Union, the Human Rights Campaign, Gender Spectrum, the National Center for Lesbian Rights, and the National Education Association. According to the document,

“A student’s age and maturity—or that of their peers—should never be a basis for denying a transgender student an opportunity to transition.” !

The document continues: “One of the most prevalent misconceptions about gender is that it is based solely on a physical understanding of sex, and that everyone fits into one of two opposite categories, male or female. This misconception, in turn, leads many to incorrectly assume that the body one is born with determines an individual’s gender. Though related to one another, both gender and sex are much more complex. Gender is comprised of a person’s physical and genetic traits, their own sense of gender identity and their gender expression. Given the numerous combinations that these factors can create, gender is better understood as a spectrum.”

In essence, this guide demands that all school personnel treat a girl who wants to be a boy as a boy and a boy who wants to be a girl as a girl. It does not take into account any family or emotional problems, nor try to help that child become happy in her body. It does not take into account any whims of immaturity. And it even goes so far as to say that it can support gender changes regardless of whether the parent agrees: “In some instances, a school may choose not to bring the subject up if there is a concern that parents or caregivers may react negatively.”

[See further evidence below - 2021-2022 Sex-Ed curricula in USA below]

Children live in a world and are growing up in a school system that constantly lies to them about the fluidity of their sex. That is why we must counteract these teachings with the truth about how and why God made our bodies male and female.

When we begin teaching the concepts of TOB from an early age, children learn the truth about sexuality. They discover the beauty of their bodies. They understand that God makes no mistakes. And they come to understand that we are all called to love one another and that we should never maim or hurt ourselves.

Books and Curricula - Teaching young children the fact that all people have value and dignity is the perfect place to start. Many authors and organizations have created materials to instill these values.

For instance, TOBET, the Theology of the Body Evangelization Team, has created a series called The Body Matters. Based on TOB, this preschool-through-8th grade curriculum gives primary educators the tools they need to build this foundation of respect. Its purpose is to “form children in the faith and to combat the destructive messages they absorb from the culture.” The Body Matters comes in many forms. It can be inserted into a religious ed program at school. It can be taught in CCE classes. And it can even be taught at home. Each grade level has an at-home plan so that parents can use it one-on-one with their children.

This program is perfect for young students because it does not directly address complicated body issues or sexuality. Yet it teaches an understanding of the body. According to TOBET, “One principal saw right away that students can be taught things like putting away cell phones at the dinner table, why bullying is wrong, and how to behave at Mass, all from a TOB angle. It’s life-affirming.”

There are also many books and at-home lessons parents can use with their children to instill these values to help children see that human beings are gifts. This knowledge will be invaluable as the child grows.

For instance, Jesus Had a Body Like Me: A Theology of the Body for Babies and Little Ones teaches “forgiveness, kindness, gift of self, and authentic love. This children’s picture book communicates the message of God’s love and our inherent value to babies and the youngest of readers.”

The Culture of Life Studies Program has a new lesson for kids in preschool through 2nd grade called The Developing Baby. This downloadable four-day lesson teaches young children about the miracle of life. Further, it instils in children an understanding of the basic milestones of human development from a person’s first moment of creation. It teaches that even a tiny preborn baby is valuable. It reinforces the fact that life is a gift to be treasured. And it teaches that God’s love for each of us is immeasurable.

There are also two great book series that help children understand God’s plan for human beings and His love for us. “TOB for Tots” and “TOB for Kids” both include three books. “TOB for Tots” includes the titles Everybody Has a Body, Every Body Is a Gift, and Every Body Is Smart. These books, designed for children ages 2-5, introduce concepts such as the fact that God created girls and boys differently, that our bodies are gifts to express love to others, and that we can come to know who we are through our bodies.

The “TOB for Kids” series is for children up until about ages seven or eight. It includes the titles God Has a Plan for Boys and Girls, Everybody Has Something to Give, and Every Body Has Something to Say. Building on the prior three books, this series goes into more detail as it explores the gift of the human body. Lessons like these go a long way toward teaching children that their bodies are sacred. But we must also live this truth in our homes.

Take Action

Nothing should be taught to your children that is contrary to both science and morality. Parents are and should be the primary educators of their children. With so many resources out there, parents have lots of great choices. We urge you to not only utilize them, but to be aware of what is taught in your child’s school. Purchase some of these books and read them at home. Read the Bible to your children and help them understand God’s plan for our bodies. Model behaviour that shows your kids that you believe what you teach them. Treat your own body and that of your spouse as a gift.

Talk to your children about what they learn in classes. Read the letters they bring home from school. Go to school board meetings. Understand the curriculum that is presented to your children.

If your child goes to a private school or is in CCE, talk with the principal or pastor about implementing some of these resources that help build the foundation for TOB. Become an advocate for your child. There’s so much we can do to help build a Culture of Life where people are respected, cherished, and loved. When we do that for our children, there’s a greater chance that they will grow into adults who respect, cherish, and love others and who will understand that our bodies are great gifts from God.

2021-2022 Sex-Ed curricula in USA  (Warning-Graphic- adult content)

The National Sex Education Standards were developed by abortion advocacy groups, including Planned Parenthood, Sister Song, and Advocates for Youth. These “standards” teach children that an abortion is just a “medicinal or surgical procedure that ends a pregnancy” and instruct them on how to find abortion facilities in their area.

The standards have students starting to learn about abortion in sixth grade.

According to the standards: “By the end of the 8th grade, students should be able to describe pregnancy testing, the signs of a pregnancy and pregnancy options, including parenting, abortion and adoption.

In 9th and 10th grades, students will be instructed to analyse state and federal laws about abortion, “identify medically accurate sources” about abortion, and identify abortion facilities in their area.

Those “medically accurate sources” include abortion facilities and abortion advocacy groups.

The report thanks Planned Parenthood for providing materials and writings for the National Sex Education Standards as well as Planned Parenthood national director of education Sonya Norsworthy for her “valuable contributions to and feedback on drafts” of the report.

The standards also insist that children must be allowed to choose their own gender and false pronouns must “be respected by the adults in their lives.”

Kindergartners learn about gender identity, and third graders learn that gender is on a spectrum, about “the role of hormone blockers” for transgender youth, and how to “explain” masturbation. Sixth graders — ages eleven and twelve — must define oral, anal, and vaginal sex as well as the benefits of withdrawing one’s penis before ejaculation during intercourse and how to use dental dams during oral sex.

The standards also undermine parental guidance. They tell young children: “No one else is qualified to label or judge another person’s sexual identity, including their sexual orientation or gender identity, and it is important that the language and terms young people use to identify themselves is respected by the adults in their lives.”

Planned Parenthood and Advocates for Youth have similar notions about parents and abortion.

They have been advocating against parental involvement laws for years, arguing that young girls should be able to get abortions without their parents’ knowledge or consent.

Austin Independent School District in Texas uses the standards to teach its students as follows:

In sixth grade, teachers should explain that “people incorrectly assume that people with a penis are boys and people with a vagina are girls” and that students should not assume boys can only have girlfriends and vice versa. Even in kindergarten, after describing the “scrotum” as “the sack of skin that hangs below the penis,” teachers are to say, “Most of the time, people born with this reproductive system are called males, or boys.”

In eighth grade, students are told that getting an STD is “nothing to be embarrassed about,” and, in sixth grade, students are taught that touching someone’s breasts or genitals “inside clothes” still “may be” considered abstinence, according to the curriculum.

Monica Cline, a former Planned Parenthood sex-ed instructor who became pro-life, told Breitbart previously that the National Sex Education Standards are nothing short of child abuse.

“By looking at the standards and resources the National Sex Education Standards provide, states who encourage adoption of this content are advocating for the abuse of our children by exposing our kids to obscene sexual notions and inappropriate ideas for their age,” Cline said. “Put simply, they are enticing and grooming our children for sexual activity.”

So parents need to be aware how pro-casual sex, pro-abortion and anti-parent the new standards are and protest against them every step of the way.