Why Build Habits of Bible Reading and Prayer with Our Kids (It's Not Easy)
In the past six months we’ve started having a family prayer time most evenings before putting our kids to bed. The idea is to read a short passage of Scripture or a story from The Jesus Storybook Bible. Then we sing a song (lately our favorites have been My Lighthouse, Jesus Strong and Kind, or God So Loved). Finally we pray together, with the kids repeating after us for part of the prayer. Altogether, this typically takes five to ten minutes.
Expectation vs. Reality
“Occasionally, we get to have real, spiritual conversations, particularly with our hyper-observant five-year-old, who is beginning to ask some pretty important questions. It’s those moments that make it all worth the frustration and exhaustion.”
Now, the laughable vision I had for this time included my kids reverently listening to the Word of God and praying earnestly alongside us. I’m not sure why I thought it would go this way because Ezra is five and Zoe is two and nothing else in our lives is calm and quiet right now.
Here’s what it actually looks like most nights. Our kids are tired. So, they’re whining, and wanting to lay down. But we’ve asked them to sit up and listen for just a few minutes to build this habit in them. Ezra is snuggled up with my fluffy gray blanket. Since Zoe wants everything Ezra has, she also wants that blanket. So, they fight because Ezra doesn’t want to share. Stanley and I try to calmly diffuse the situation. But because we’re tired and grouchy too, our patience is thin and we’re usually a little less than gracious in these moments.
Then, Zoe is STARVING! She couldn’t possibly go to bed without a cheese stick, so off she trots to the kitchen in the middle of whatever passage we’re reading. I call after her to wait until we’re done reading, and she immediately flops on the floor demanding her bedtime snack.
Why Is It So Important?
Often, I have to be reminded of the importance of this time in our family’s daily rhythm because it is so frustrating and exhausting.
However, as we continue this tradition of carving out our last moments of our day for the Lord, our kids have slowly but surely begun to treasure this time. They ask for it! When we don’t do it for whatever reason, they wonder why. Which has honestly helped us be more consistent.
Occasionally, we get to have real, spiritual conversations, particularly with our hyper-observant five-year-old who is beginning to ask some pretty important questions. It’s those moments that make it all worth the frustration and exhaustion.
- written by Lyndsay John
Lyndsay is the Women’s Ministry Deacon at Redeemer. She has been married to Stanley for 7 years and they have two kiddos - a wild, bull-in-a-china-shop five-year-old (Ezra) and a sweet and salty two-year old (Zoe).