Tonight I was pondering the significance of prayer, and how I love to pray and pour out my soul to my Father in Heaven.
It isn’t enough, though, for me to pray and pour out my soul. I need to teach my children to pray. I often feel drawn to my knees in prayer, but it seems like I haven’t taught my children to have the same love of our Father in Heaven.
I need to gather my children with me in prayer more often, instead of simply praying by myself. It isn’t enough to pray myself. I have a sacred duty as a mother to teach my children about prayer and about the gospel.
In a book I read called Preparing Him for the Other Woman (see my scripture blog), the author suggests teaching your sons (and daughters) to talk to Heavenly Father when they are sad or hurt, and also teach them to share their joys and excitements with Heavenly Father.
Gathering my children with me in prayer seems like it should come naturally with the territory of motherhood. But for some reason I have not developed the habit of praying with my children – even though I have developed a pattern of prayer in my own life.
I think it will be really neat to watch the changes in my relationship with my children, and mine and their relationships with Heavenly Father, as we gather together often to pray. I’m not just talking about family prayer here. I’m talking about drawing my children near to teach them to talk to Heavenly Father. It should be an every-day, multiple-times-a-day occurrence.
How have you taught your children about prayer? Was it easy for you to get into the habit of praying with your children so that they will learn to have a pattern of prayer in their lives? Do you gather them to you in prayer?
Joshua knew how to kneel, fold his arms, bow his head, and close his eyes to pray by about 16 months. But he's just that kind of kid. Abigail (almost 16 months) sometimes "folds" her arms and starts mumbling when she sees other people praying, but only when she feels like it. I pray with the kids at every meal time and at bed time and Joshua is required to say at least one prayer a day, but I really don't think he has any clue WHY we pray. I do try to explain this to him, but I don't really think he gets it.
ReplyDeleteMy last attempt was the other night. Joshua had follow off the bar stool straight onto his head. I didn't have any children ibuprofen to stop swelling or anything (just in case) and he kept complaining that his head hurt. I said, well, why don't we pray to Heavenly Father. He can do everything. Let's pray that he will help your head feel better." So we prayed and made it very personal. We explained what happened to Joshua and that we didn't have any medicine and that he needed help. I still am not sure if Joshua knows that he is actually talking to someone when he prays. That's ok. We're starting a habit, at least.
(sorry for the monster long comment!)
Thanks, Anna :) Vincente used to kneel and fold his arms for prayers when he was little. Now (at 3 1/2) he will kneel when we get ready to say prayer, but then during the prayer he moves around, plays, pretty much does everything OTHER than praying... it's kind of frustrating, but I figure that I haven't really taught him the significance of prayer - and we really only pray over meals, and at family prayer. So far today we've prayed a LOT. We prayed when I picked him up from the gym's nursery because he said he had a good time, so I suggested that we pray and tell Heavenly Father how grateful we are to have such fun places to go, and nice people to take care of us. I helped him with the words, but he did say it - and reverently, which is a HUGE step for him. We also prayed this morning when we woke up, and of course at meals. And I think we said a few other small prayers too, throughout the day.
ReplyDeleteSo far it's going well, and I'm hoping it will have a lasting effect.