Children and the Kingdom

Jesus said to His disciples, 'Let the little children come unto me, and forbid them not, for of such is the kingdom of heaven.' What is the connection between child and Christ's kingdom. Some believe the the connection is parental faith in bringing their children to Jesus to bless them. And thus Jesus declares that these children are 'in' the kingdom, members of the covenant community based on the faith of their parents. But Jesus does not say that these children are 'in' the kingdom, but rather 'of such is the kingdom of heaven.'. Thus the connection is not parental faith, but rather child-like faith that each of us must express in order to enter the kingdom. We need, in the words of Jesus, to be 'converted and become like little children'. But what is conversion? What does it mean to become like a little child? To self-righteous Nicodemus, Jesus gives the answer: You must be born again! You must possess child-like faith in order to see the kingdom of heaven.