April 11, 2016 / 0 comments

Praying With Your Kids

PRAYER is turning the heart towards God.

(CCC 2558-2565)

 

The following was taken from our Kids For Christ January teaching supplemented by some other online resources including Matthew Kelly’s “Prayer Process”. Check out the resources indicated below for simple, concrete and meaningful ways we can teach our kids how to pray. 

 

SIMPLE TIPS TO HELPING YOUR CHILDREN PRAY:

  1. Talk about God in a way your children can relate to and will feel the need to spend time with Him in prayer. God is our heavenly Father…. Jesus is a friend who understands our problems… For younger kids, you might explain Jesus had a mommy and daddy too.
  2. Use a simple method of prayer – A.C.T.S
    • A – Adoration: Begin the prayer by simply adoring God for who He is.
    • C – Confession: Spend some time confessing your sins.
    • T – Thanksgiving: Thank God for all His blessings
    • S – Supplication: Lift up petitions for your specific needs or on behalf of others.
  3. Use the five senses to enhance their experience of prayer. E.g. Praise music to set the mood, candles to show the presence of God, Sacred images and holy water in the altar, or even writing letters to God.
  4. Pray constantly: Make it part of the daily routine (upon waking, before sleeping, before/after meals,etc.) but also do it spontaneously – praising God when you see a beautiful sunset or asking Jesus’ help when you learn of a friend who is sick. This will make praying come naturally as the child grows older.
  5. Give them a little wiggle room: Children may not pray well if they have to sit up straight or kneel. They may pray better if they are lying down or sitting snuggled with you.
  6. Have quiet time with your children: Quiet time is important to developing spirituality. Make sure that they child does not equate this to punishment.
  7. Lead by example: If your child sees you praying, they will also pray.

SUGGESTED ACTIVITIES FOR THE FAMILY:

  • Sentence Prayer. You can help your children pray aloud by giving them a sentence to complete, such as
    •  “Lord, I thank you for …
    • “Lord, forgive me for …”
    • “Lord, help my friend …”
    • “Lord, help me be more …”
    • “Lord, one of the fears I need help with is….”
  • Newspaper Prayer. Have each family member take a portion of the newspaper and circle items that he or she feels need to be prayed for. Then ask family members to pray for the things they circled in the paper.
  • Highs and Lows. Ask your children to share their “highs” and “lows” from the day. Share your highs and lows as well, and then pray for them together.
  • Prayer Journal. Share your prayer requests with the other members of your family and then record them in a prayer journal. One person can pray for all the requests you’ve listed for the day. The next time you pray together, look over the requests you listed previously and update any changes and answers. This is a good way to see how God has been active in your prayer lives.

Questions for Parents:

  1. Is praying a way of life for your family?
  2. What activities can help your child become more prayerful?
  3. Do you show the importance of prayer to your kids by example?

*RESOURCES/ADDITIONAL GUIDES:

• Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) 

• Praying with your Children” – A Guide for Families by Pat Fosarelli

• http://www.focusonthefamily.com/parenting/spiritual-growth-for-kids/faith-at-home/pray-with-your-children

• http://www.appleseeds.org/Prayer-Process_M-Kelly.htm

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