Teach Them to Pray

There are some things we do not actually teach our children to do, they just learn by being around us, seeing what we do, and hearing us interact with others.

Addie has been praying for her food for years, but other than that, we haven't had her pray much on her own until lately. We have always guided her when she needed to pray for forgiveness, but lately we have just sat with her and help her out when she needs it. She is also praying at bedtime, in addition to Brian or I praying with her.

Prayer is something that happens regularly that our children see us doing throughout the day. Prayers of thanks for our meals as well as for unexpected blessings. Prayers of confession when we are wrong. Prayers of petition for our needs or the  needs of others. Prayers of love just because. These prayers are not necessarily long, drawn out, and do not use fancy language. After all, we are talking to our Heavenly Father.

We never realize how much our children pick up, or what they pick up until one day they decide to show us what they have learned. And it may be the child you least expect.

Ian was that one for us. At bedtime, one evening, after I prayed and Addie prayed, Ian piped up with, "Jesus. Amen!" and clapped his hands in prayer at the end.

And, really, he got the most important words down, didn't he.