Pray with your Children

Instead of telling your child to pray, joining with them in praying is the best way to give a model for them. Although our kids are teenagers and they haven’t outgrown them make your prayer time a memorable one.

Model the Behavior

While praying together with your kids, you can see and feel that a special bond between you and your child is formed.

Matthew 18:20 For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.

Pray Aloud

Pray aloud and encourage them to do so. And if you feel as though praying aloud is awkward, you’re not alone. We can feel self-conscious about praying to God aloud.

After the first few times of praying aloud in front of your kids, the awkwardness will go away.

Make Prayer as a Daily Habit

To feel natural in your prayer is the easiest way to make prayer more devotional. Pray with them at the same time each day. Most of us are comfortable in the evening or at bedtime.

Pray according to the age of your kids. When the kids are younger, make it very simple. Tell them to pray for the family and grab your child’s hand and pray.

As they get older and had worries and concerns of their own, ask them if there is anything to be prayed for them in your nightly prayers. This question leads to them asking for prayers about something they are anxious about during the day.

Keep Prayers Meaningful

To keep prayers meaningful and personal, don’t recite formal prayers when praying with your children. Let our children grow up with a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. In each prayer, aim to touch on Thanksgiving, Forgiveness, Others, and Requests.

Encourage Your Children

Encourage your children to pray with you after being it as a habit. Some kids will be willing to do so without much prodding, but most won’t.

Some ideas to get them involved include:

Ask them what they’d like you to add to the prayer.
Pray as usual then squeeze your child’s hand as a signal for them to add anything to their heart. If you have more than one child, have them squeeze their hands in a circle. You can add the prayer closing.

Have your child pray just once per week if willing.
Let them read a bible verse before you pray.

Ask them to say grace. That may be easier for them if your family has been saying grace for a long time, but praying out loud with no formula or agenda feels new.
Just have your child say “Amen” at the end with you.

Make a small prayer box and have your children write their prayer requests on pieces of paper.

Don’t force your child to pray out loud if they aren’t ready for it. Instead, ask your child occasionally if they would like to lead the prayer.

If not, remind them they can always pray silently to Jesus anytime they want to.

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