Below is an email Liz Chiaffredo sent the pastoral staff, and we felt it needed to be shared with the entire Kairos Community (with her permission of course!).
Here is the article I referenced at (our community) dinner last night. I added Jan to this email because she is a big part of why Kairos loves my children well!
Study: US Churches Exclude Children with Autism, ADD/ADHD
As I mentioned last night, both my boys have dyslexia and one has ADHD (with the younger one likely to follow). This makes them tricky little creatures for the traditional church scenario. Kairos has created a welcoming environment for them. Their loud âoutsideâ voice is always used in the middle of service, they are constantly touching and half wrestling in the pew, they wonât stand and sing, they fight over pencils (even though they each have their own set!), and we feel nothing but love and support from the people sitting around us in service. We no longer feel the need to mom-arm them out of the church, or sit on them, or threaten them for not behaving. As parents, we sense those around us smiling that God has blessed us with two healthy, wild and wiggly boys. They can be just who they are and not feel shamed.
In addition, they arenât expected to memorize all the Bible verses. They donât have to read long passage out loud in Sunday School. They learn how to apply Godâs word and share his love in very practical terms; in ways they can visualize in their everyday lives. This eliminates anxiety and feeling self-conscious about reading in front of peers and helps them engage. While some memorization and reading is included, it isnât the objective of the teaching and never marginalizes the boys experience. The Sunday School teachers do such a wonderful job meeting the kids where they are to deliver Godâs message for them.
These are a few of the reasons we love being a part of the Kairos community. We feel accepted for who we are as parents and our kids accepted just how God made them. Thank you for loving our family WELL.
Have a wonderful day!!
Liz C.