Editor’s Note: The Legacy of Children

One Sunday night when I was seven years old, we sat around the table with the Coefields, a family from church. After enjoying cherry cobbler and conversation, Mr. Coefield yawned and stretched his arms above his head. “Well, I gotta get home and get these dogs to bed.”

Sarah Eshleman
Editor in Chief

The word dogs piqued my interest. “What kind of dogs do you have?”

Mr. Coefield chuckled, then leaned forward and explained, “Well, dogs is another word for feet.”

Thirty-one years later, I still remember his blue eyes, his raspy voice, and his kindness toward my naïve curiosity. Perhaps more than we want to acknowledge, adults can inadvertently spark a lasting impression by saying something gentle and encouraging, harsh and belittling—or even just weird. This influence is both a blessing and a burden.

In her article “What We Leave Behind” (on page 27), Dr. Georgia Purdom emphasizes God’s command for us to leave a godly legacy (Deuteronomy 6:7). She asks, “What do we want our children’s memories of us to be?”

I have no children of my own, but as the editor in chief of Kids Answers magazine, I get to leave a legacy for thousands of kids in the topics we tackle, the science we explain, the creatures we introduce, and the Scripture we share. I want to give kids answers that I didn’t learn until I was an adult, so they can trust God’s Word and not turn from the faith one day because of lingering questions.

I’m also learning that our young readers are leaving a legacy for me, one of curiosity, wonder, trust, innocence, and humility. Every week, I receive emails and letters from children around the world. Their words of thanks and encouragement bolster my spirits. They send jokes, poems, and artwork, which I often pin to my office board.

But most charming of all, these kids ask fantastic questions! Did Jesus have a belly button? What was Russia like at the time of Jesus? Do pythons sometimes eat hyenas? What is nuclear fission? Where did God come from? How many animals on earth have whiskers? Why did God create Satan when he knew he was going to do bad?

In this issue of Kids Answers, we’ve added Big Questions, a page where kids can read our answers.

Instead of setting Kids Answers aside, check out these prodigious ponderings (page 16). And while you’re at it, don’t miss the winning entry in our Kids Answers poetry contest (page 14).

What about you, Answers reader? Have you kept your sense of wonder? What big questions do you have? While you’re busy trying to leave your own godly legacy, don’t miss out on what children can teach you. I promise, you’ll be humbled—and delighted.