Prayer is an important aspect of the Christian life. Every parent desires to raise their children with a good foundation for prayer. But how do we do it? Here is some helpful insight into teaching your kids to pray!
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I have a confession. We don’t often pray before meals. It isn’t because we aren’t thankful for our food, it’s more that by the time I get the food prepped, everyone in their seats and the dog fed, I collapse in my chair exhausted.
I do feel a twinge of guilt but I’m also running the show solo for many meals and if I’m offering thanks it’s going to be thanks I was able to get everything made before my boys tore down the living room curtains.
That being said, we do pray at other times. And teaching my kids to pray is an important element.
Where We Start
When first teaching children to pray, it usually is at the dinner table or before bed. As I said earlier, our meal table is a fiasco so it’s not a good time for prayer. Bedtime though, that’s where we have started.
My (now) three-year-old and I talk about our day and all we are thankful for. I try to keep the focus on the good things that happened in the day and how we should say thanks.
Why? Because prayer should change our hearts and the best way to do that is by being thankful.
If there was something difficult that happened in the day, a skinned knee or a frustrating occurrence, then we talk about that and include it in the prayer.
Finally we have our requests, usually small things like healing a sore finger or to have a good sleep. Sometimes my three-year-old includes his Christmas list in his request. I tell him it’s fine to ask God to provide us with good things, but it’s God who knows what we will need.
And then we pray.
I am usually the one to pray, with folded hands and closed eyes. Just a short prayer, nothing long and drawn out. Sometimes my three-year-old will say his prayer but for now, I am happy that he listens.
Prayer Shouldn’t Be Forced
The important thing to remember is that prayer should be a natural thing. It is a conversation between you and God. Parts of it will be repetitive so children learn the basics or have prayers they can recite.
But children also need to see prayer in other ways.
I stop and pray with my kids throughout the day. If I received bad news, if something good happened, whatever the situation, we say a little prayer.
We’ve even prayed for strangers at the park or the grocery store! When we see a “friend” having a bad day we say a quiet prayer for them, asking God to help them feel better.
My prayer typically looks like this:
Thank you Lord for giving us places to play and friends to play with. I pray for our friend who is having a hard time, please be with Him and help Him feel better. In your name, Amen!
And when my kids are having a tough time, I lay my hands on their shoulders and pray for them. I want them to know that God will be with them through any of their struggles as well!
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The Benefits of Praying with Your Children
Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
Prayer is a wonderful time to bond with your child. And I believe God intended it to be that way. It’s a time to talk about the things we’ve experienced, share in the joys and grief and together give them to God.
It also teaches children to reach for God in times of difficulty as well as in times of blessings. Children need to know that we can talk to God at any time, for any reason.
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When You Struggle to Pray
It isn’t always easy to pray. Prayer is a spiritual gift, some are more adept at it than others. But that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t do it.
If you find yourself struggling, follow the acronym PRAY.
Praise – Offer thanksgiving and open up your heart to God’s goodness.
Reflect – Look back on your day or your week think about things you could have done differently and ask God’s forgiveness.
Ask – Bring your requests before God, your worries, your hopes, your desires and ask for God’s blessings.
Yield – Lay your prayer down before God and ask that his will be done.
You may have seen similar acronyms, this is the one I like, especially for kids. I always had an issue with R for “repent.” Not because we shouldn’t ask forgiveness for things but because it felt like I was a terrible person who had all these sins! It made me not want to pray because of this aspect.
So, I find when praying, especially with children, that we should turn the focus to reflect on things we could have done differently. Kids are learning about pushing boundaries and exploring their world, they aren’t bad people they just make poor choices sometimes. And asking forgiveness isn’t about punishing ourselves, it’s about acknowledging we made mistakes and we want to change that.
Because prayer should change us.
I want my kids to know they can bring anything before God and they shouldn’t feel ashamed for it. If they pushed their brother, if they took a toy, if they threw their dinner on the floor, it was wrong but if they ask forgiveness and try not to do it again, that’s what matters. God will love them no matter what and he will help them with those struggles if they ask.
Look for Times to Pray
Search out times to pray. Short prayers during the day don’t need to include every aspect of PRAY. Teach your children to turn to God in moments of thanksgiving, uncertainty, happiness and forgiveness.
Prayer should change us. It should help us look differently at the world. We should see people who are struggling and instead of judging them, say a word of prayer. We should stop ourselves when we get angry and say a word of prayer. We should pause in moments of joy and say a word of prayer.
Prayer brings us closer to God and changes our perspective. So start teaching your children at a young age how to pray. It’s more than just reciting the same bedtime prayer over and over. It’s coming together and talking about things, then sharing them with God.
Start practicing today. Start small. Don’t make prayer this big ordeal where kids struggle to sit still. Make it a moment you share between you, your child(ren) and God.
Jesus said let the little children come to me. So bring your kids to Jesus! Let them meet him through your praying hands.
But Jesus called them to him, saying, “Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God.
Luke 18:16
Amen!
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