Prayers with–and for–Little Ones {plus a review}

Sometimes people ask when and how to start praying with children. “Now”, is the answer. As soon as they are born, if you haven’t had a child yet. They will pick up on the words and rituals as they grow up, much like they pick up on language and play. The more we as parents can create a natural ritual and prayerful home, the easier it will be for our children to adopt the habit of prayer.

Here are some ideas I’ve gathered over the years.

1) Simply begin. There isn’t a magic or complicated formula to prayer. Lift your thoughts and heart to God, and you’re praying. Invite your children to join you, even if they simply sit by your side as you read a devotion or the Bible, or sit quietly in God’s presence for a few moments.

2) Share the rosary with your kids, giving them a rosary of their own to hold. Until recently, we didn’t have “little- kid-friendly” rosaries, and one of mine has been repaired more times than I can count from little hands pulling too hard. But now, I have kid-friendly rosaries for my little guys.

{product affiliate review and links ahead} I love the toddler-friendly “Chews Life” rosaries from Organic Mama’s Shop. They are made with soft materials, safe for the youngest to chew. They are quiet, so a dropped rosary at Mass won’t attract too many sideways looks. You can choose a predesigned rosary, or choose your own color combination. And now there are even single-decade rosaries!

For myself, I ordered a rosary wrap bracelet, with a movable crucifix to keep your place when everyday interruptions force you to put your prayer on hold. I’ll admit, many days that I wear my rosary bracelet, I still don’t finish, but wearing it helps me remember to at least send a quick prayer up through the day, asking Mama Mary to stay close and help me be a better wife and mother.

3) Pray in the car together, for special intentions. I start our daily drive to school with intentions and gratitude, inviting my kids to add their own, and then we pray a decade of the rosary together. I hope my example of gratitude and praying for specific people and intentions will be ingrained as a life-long habit of turning hearts and minds to God, anywhere and for all things.

4) Choose a simple Bible verse for your children, and pray it for them daily. I’m currently on the hunt for more, but my favorite is a Psalm. Scripture is full of beautiful words and prayers. Find one that speaks to you, and make it your personal heart-felt prayer. You can keep this a personal prayer, or you can share it with them. In the next weeks, I hope to choose a special verse for each of my children, and print it for them so it becomes a shared verse and prayer.

5) Remember the *gift* of your children, and that God wants you to succeed. Thank Him for them, and ask for allllll the help you need any time and all the time. Moms, you know parenting gets tough. God knows. It took me years to do this, but now when things are hard, I beg for grace. Beg. “Lord, make haste to help me!” I figure, He gave me this job, He will help me when I ask (or beg). This is so important, because when I am stressed and frazzled and barely hanging on to the last sliver of patience, I am in no place to pray or mother well. So I beg for help, and God has never let me down. With His help, I not only am a better mother, but I pray better. And when I can’t, I rely on the Holy Spirit to make it happen for me.

In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words;  and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. -Romans 8:26-27

Ready to start? Let me know your favorite ways to pray with and for your kids. Interested in a rosary bracelet or Chews Life Rosary? Use code SOMEDAYSAINTS now until Nov. 16 for 20% off at Organicmamasshop.com. I also want to point out the Mama Necklaces, which I love. From nursing necklaces to beautiful beaded necklaces, these are lovely everyday-wear pieces. I wear my Mama Rox almost every day, and already my little guy likes to hold it in his hand. It’s saving my neck from infant claws!