What parents usually do consists of teaching their children a lot of things, such as riding a bicycle, reading a book, writing a letter, praying to musical instruments and so many other things. Christian parents may even teach their sons and daughters how to pray to the Lord!
But how can we help children to pray with confidence? How can we encourage them to pray and show them that a conversation with God is easier than what it seems?
Let’s discover how to encourage our children to pray to the Lord in 5 simple steps.
1. Let Your Kids See You’re Praying
Children always take adults as an example to emulate. To set an example is certainly a good starting point. Let your children see you while praying. When children see that prayer is important to you, it is easier to start a conversation to help them pray and make it a complementary part of their life. They need to see how prayers can help you feel better, in order to imitate you.
2. Choose Appropriate Prayers for Kids
We all know how children easily get bored, especially with long texts that may not be so catchy. Very long prayers could lead the child to get distracted, or worse, to get bored. For this reason, it is better to choose short prayers for children with simple terms. Let your children experience how easy praying is. Otherwise, you can even let your children express gratitude in their own words: remember that giving thanks is praying too!
You can even think about teaching your sons some children’s bedtime prayers!
3. Help Them Overcome Shyness
Among all the types of children in the world, some of them are very shy and introverted and it is very hard for them to take the initiative. Some children may not feel comfortable saying the prayers aloud, especially if surrounded by other people. What about if you start it first? Having a parent who takes the initiative can help them feel safer and comfortable.
4. Be Supportive
Remind the children that no request is too small or insignificant. Prayers are deeply personal and a child’s concerns can change with age. Show your child how important praying is for you and how much it could help him/her, especially while going through hard times. Sometimes prayer and reflection can save us from our bigger fears and negative thoughts. Even some night prayers for kids may help them to sleep well. So, encourage your child to talk to God about whatever he/she has in mind. God hears every prayer!
5. Let Your Child Get Used to the Rosary
When they are very young, children usually love to play, especially with toys and other objects that are familiar to them. A teenager who reads once was a child who had always been confident with books, since his/her childhood. In the same way, we need to let children get used to religious tools such as the rosary. If they have always been used to seeing a rosary, they will always be confident with the Catholic religion and its prayers.
You can start with a simple Wooden Rosary Bead, suitable for both Boys and Girls.
Combine it with its Rosary Bracelet!
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How to Pray the Rosary→
How to Make an Altar for Prayers at Home→
How to do the Stations of the Cross at Home in 5 Simple Steps→
