PROTECT YOUR KIDS ONLINE
Do your children know how to pray? Have they learned to pray from
watching you pray? Too often we consider prayer to be an adult
activity. God not only created us with the built-in hardware for
communication with Him, but also created all of life to work in
harmony with prayer. Don't you want your children to tap into
that harmony and habit at an early age?
- There is no magic position for prayer. Daniel knelt, Elijah
put his head between his knees, Solomon raised his hands,
David danced. You can help your children understand that
sometimes it is good to choose a different position for their
prayers.
- Folding hands stops fidgeting, although it is not prescribed.
Closing eyes helps children concentrate and focus their
hearts, thoughts, and feelings on Him.
- Any-time prayers are prayed whenever a child thinks of
something to talk to God about or thank Him for, no matter
where they are and what they're doing. This kind of praying
helps children understand that their relationship with God is
continual. Show them how you do this throughout the day.
- Important-moment prayers are prayed when something important
happens or they are faced with some kind of emergency. (E.g.
when a child gets hurt at school, or they are in trouble.)
Show them that prayer should be the first response.
- Time-with-God prayers are prayed at a regular time every day.
Help them understand that if they want to know God, they need
to spend time daily with Him. This may be before bed, and
should be a priority along with brushing teeth.
- Babies need to hear your prayers. Let it become part of the
going-to-bed ritual. Pray their prayers for them, not your
prayers over them. Thank God for something special about your
child's day. Keep the prayers short.
- Toddlers need to be taught that this is their prayer time,
not yours. Teach them to close their eyes, to be still, and
to concentrate on God - who is listening and loves them. True
concentration will come eventually. Let them help with
petitions. Use words they understand and keep it upbeat and
short.
- Birthdays can be marking points for moving your child into a
new level of prayer. This can be explained and anticipated by
the child and the family.
- Grade-school children can learn new prayers by repeating them
after you. "Ping-pong" prayers can be said: you pray one
petition, your child prays the next, etc. Move them to
praying the entire prayer on their own, with you listening.
- Middle-school children usually want to pray without a parent
in the room. Be sure to allow for prayer time in their
nightly schedule. Continue to talk to your older children
about their prayer life, as well as your own. Encourage them
to pray for the needs of the entire family.
- Memorized prayers, or "borrowed" words, are difficult for
young children, whose primary focus is the memorized words.
When you introduce a new memorized prayer, help the child
understand what it means when they pray it.
- Show your children how you pray. Let them see you on your
knees, or turning to God first in a difficult situation. Show
them prayers of thankfulness as well.
Rick Osborne is the creator and co-author of the
best-selling Question & Answer series, including 101
Questions Children Ask About God, and author of
numerous works, including Financial Parenting (with
Larry Burkett), and The Adventure Bible Handbook. He
is president of Lightwave Publishing Inc., and has
appeared on Christian programs and television talk
shows. He lives in British Columbia.
Excerpted from Talking to Your Children About God by
Rick Osborne, copyright (c) 1998. Reprinted by
permission of HarperSanFrancisco, a division of
HarperCollins Publishers, San Francisco, Calif.
© 1997 vinebranch@hotmail.com
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